At
last!
A budget to work with
EXCLUSIVE: INSIGHT INTO TORREVIEJA’S BUDGET
If you are a regular reader of
Costa Blanca People then you will know
that the town’s budget has been up for
discussion in recent months. Finally, on
Monday,12th February the budget was
passed and the town can begin to plan
for the future.

‘It’s been a long journey,’ explains José Hurtado, the
councillor responsible for putting the budget together.‘One
that began for us following the town’s local elections in 2015.’
Since then there has been on going negotiations between
the four political parties currently governing Torrevieja (Los
Verdes, PSOE, APTCe and IU) and opposition groups (Sueña,
Ciudadanos and Partido Popular). The budget was finally
agreed when Sueña and Ciudadanos gave it their support.
Councillor Hurtado kindly agreed to speak to Costa Blanca
People. He is one of the councillors for Los Verdes and is also
responsible for education in the town. From his office in the

CostaBlancaPeople 13th -19th March 2018

town hall he spoke passionately of the
difficult economic situation that the town
halls in Spain have found themselves in and
of their plans for the future.
From the diagrams inside (page 6) you can
see that there are different sections to the
budget. The headings include:
• Budget investments for 2018 – 4.73
million euros that the government can
allocate to different projects
•
Comparison of expenses – the
spending on essential services this year
compared to 2017
•
Medium term investments –
what’s planned in the medium term
•
Additional investments for 2018
The additional investments come
from other sources and are
dependent upon spending
decisions made elsewhere. Even
if this money is not available the
Continued on page 6

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WE HAVE MOVED!
The Costa Blanca People office has moved to a new location in Torrevieja!
The new office is within walking distance of Habaneras Shopping Centre
and has ample free parking right outside. Our new address is:

BITE SIZE Missing 8 year old
NEWS:
found dead in car
Stagestruck performance

What’s on at the pictures
With many shops now closing on a
Sunday you might be on the look out for
something to do. Showing at the
Continued on page 5

The body of a missing boy has been found
in the boot of a car being driven by his
father’s partner, officials revealed on
Sunday.
Eight-year-old
Gabriel
Cruz’s
disappearance in the southern province of
Almeria in late February captured the
nation’s attention. After a missing person’s
alert went viral, a search involving over
4,000 police and volunteers was launched.
Police have arrested the father’s
partner, who they had pulled over as she
was driving her car.
"This morning, the Civil Guard stopped
the companion of Gabriel’s father while
she was transporting the little boy’s corpse
in the boot of a car," Interior Minister Juan
Ignacio Zoido said, according to the AFP
news agency.
Gabriel was last seen on 27th February
when he left his grandmother’s house in
the village of Las Hortichuelas in the
municipality of Níjar. He was supposed to
go over to a neighbour’s for a play date,
but he never returned.
On 3rd March, the boy’s father Angel
Cruz and his now arrested partner, Ana
Julia Quezada, found a vest with his DNA
10 km (6 miles) from Nijar.
Spanish media report that the police
have been monitoring Ms Quezada since
then. The circumstances under which the
vest was found (it was suspiciously dry,
despite being out in the elements) raised
concerns and investigators had Quezada
under surveillance since then.
At a rally attended by thousands of
supporters on Friday, Gabriel’s mother and

father said they had "more hope than
ever" of finding their son. An image of a
blue fish - inspired by Gabriel’s love of the
sea - was shared on social media with the
hashtag #TodosSomosGabriel, meaning
"we are all Gabriel".
Mr Zoido tweeted on Sunday to say he
had spoken with the young boy’s parents,
conveying "the profound pain and shock
of the government and all Spaniards".
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
also tweeted his condolences, saying: "I
share with all Spaniards the pain of losing
Gabriel."
Reports emerged on Monday that
Gabriel’s mother had always suspected
Ana Quezada. Gabriel and Ana had a very
tumultuous relationship and Gabriel had
been quite vocal about his dislike for Ana
and her bad attitude towards him. Despite
what has happened, Gabriel’s mother
Patricia has called for calm following an
outpouring of anger towards her son’s
murderer. She said on Sunday “Many
messages are appearing online asking for
her death. I understand that these people
have the same anger inside as I have but I
ask that they use their emotion to ask for
kindness in the world. Do not put this
woman’s face up, asking for bad things for
her.”
In a heartrending message, Patricia
thanked the public for the encouragement
and support she is receiving and hopes
that she will ‘learn to walk again’. She asked
that messages of love continue, and not to
be followed by ones of anger at her son’s
murderer because ‘she will get hers’.

Stagestruck Theatre group are currently
rehearsing for their spring show ‘From a
Jack to a King’ and are looking forward
to their performances on Thursday 17th
May, Friday 18th May and Saturday 19th
May at the Cardenal Beluga Theatre in
San Fulgencio.
The script has been written by Leigh
Humphries, Stagestruck’s director, and
is a musical comedy set in a pub in the
East End of London in the 1960s. Harry
and Daphne are the owners of the pub
and are struggling to keep it going as
Harry is drinking and gabbling the
profits away. The show centres around
the interactions of the owners, staff and
patrons acted by the 22 cast members.
It does have a happy ending!
As well as comedy the show offers
dancing and singing and all the songs
are in keeping with the setting, so if
you’re a fan of 1960s music, this show is
a must for you. Tickets are €8 and are on
sale at the Post Box, Quesada, The Post
Room, Benijofar, The Card Place,
Benimar, Kennedy’s Supermarket,
Montesinos, Leaf’s, Quesada and Cards
and More, La Marina. Alternatively
call Leigh on 679 679 584 or Jenny
on 608 129 983 or email
leigh.humphries58@gmail.com
or
jendexbaz78@yahoo.com.

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Spain to slash airport tax next year
Airport taxes for next year will go down by 12 percent
- three times as much as initially planned – in a bid to
encourage growth in the air travel industry.
According to minister for public works Íñigo de la
Serna, taxes – which were frozen for 2017 – will still
only go down by 3 percent in 2018 as originally
announced and by 5 percent in 2020, but for 2019
they will be slashed by 12 percent instead of the 4
percent agreed at first.
De la Serna made this announcement during the
opening ceremony of the World Air Travel

Management Conference, and said these reductions
would means Spain's airport taxes became the lowest
in the European Union.
Last year saw a record number of foreign tourists
arrive in Spain by air – in fact, Enaire, the mother
company of airports governing body AENA, reported
52 consecutive months of increases in arrivals.
Airport taxes normally directly affect the price of
flights, and they also influence carriers' operational
decisions, including whether or not to set up new or
keep existing bases in Spain.

Guardamar town centre
revamp complete
The Alicante Provincial Council has finished the works
to remodel Calle Mayor and Avenida del País Valencià
in Guardamar del Segura, a large project for which it
contributed 65 percent of the cost with a subsidy of
€258,400.
The job was signed off on recently by Provincial
Council Vice President Eduardo Dolón and Mayor José

Luis Sáez. Dolón said it has made these two main
roads “more accessible and safer for drivers and
pedestrians”.
The work involved widening and replacing the
pavements, and improving the utility supplies, drains
and street lights, and installing sculptures in the Plazas
de Pescadores and de Labradores.

British serial rapist caught in Murcia
A British man convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl
and a woman in the 1980s has been arrested in Baños
de Fortuna, Murcia, after decades on the run.
The unnamed (at time of going to print) individual
was found thanks to extensive cross-border
investigations by the UK's National Crime Agency
(NCA) and the National Police in Spain.
He is facing a life sentence for the violent offences,
which he committed between 1980 and 1983. The
woman is said to have been raped four times by the

same man, and the underage girl at least once.
A European arrest warrant was issued by British
authorities in 2016, but even when it was suspected
he was hiding out in south-eastern Spain, tracing him
was difficult because he was said to be living in a
camper-van and 'left no trace of his movements' when
he went on to his next location.
The offender was in his van when he was arrested, and
is expected to be extradited to the UK in the next few
days.

726

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

BITE SIZE NEWS: Department of Education
Continued from page 3

cinema in Torrevieja is Gorrión Rojo (Red
Sparrow) which will be played in the
original English soundtrack. The film is
being shown at 6pm in room 5. Be
careful, it is also being shown at the
same time in room 1 but this is not the
English speaking version.

Eighty year old knocked
down in Torrevieja
The eighty year old woman was
seriously injured whilst crossing on a
pedestrian crossing on the Avenida de
las Cortes Valencianas in Torrevieja. The
woman was crossing the road opposite
a supermarket when the vehicle ran into
her.
The accident took place at 8.45 in the
morning on Friday 9th March. Two local
police vehicles were dispatched to the
incident and an ambulance also
attended the woman who was taken to
the hospital with a fractured hip.

Public use of the natural parks
The governing body of the natural parks
of La Mata and Torrevieja met on 6th
March to decide upon the ways in which
the different interests of those using the
park can be protected. The meeting was
attended by Councillor Fanny Serrano
as well as the leaders of other local
groups who have an interest in the
park’s use.
The meeting including discussion
about the routes through the park that
the public can use. Councillor Serrano,
who is also councillor for tourism, is
keen to ensure the preservation of the
parks as well as maintaining their use for
tourists. ‘We have to cooperate as much
as possible,’ explained councillor
Serrano. ‘Without losing sight of the fact
that the starting point is the protection
of the park itself.’

Plaza de Oriente is to
have its facelift
The streets surrounding the Plaza de
Oriente where the new church is
located in the centre of Torrevieja are to
be repaired. The cost of this project will
be €60,494 and it will include lifting the
cobblestones from the streets, cleaning
the base and filling it with artificially
compacted gravel. The streets that will
be affected include Pedro Lorca,
Morriones, Ulpiano and Zoa.

Improvements to the
fire station
A meeting was held on 28th February
during which it was agreed to make
improvements to the fire station in
Torrevieja. One of the main decisions
has been to increase the number of
firefighters who will be on duty from the
current number of seven to eight.
Councillor Manzanares made the
announcement which included that the
station will be completely re-painted
and there will be a helicopter landing
pad for use in emergencies by all the
services including the police and health.
The improvements should take place
over the next few months.

Culture and cooking
The councillor for hospitality, Manuela
Osuna, announced on 7th March an
initiative that has been launched in
conjunction with the Cultural Institute
and the Hotel Business. The idea is that
those who attend a cultural event
costing more than five euros can have a
set meal at a local restaurant or bar at a
discount price.
Continued on page 8

invests 41k in local school
The Councillor for Education of the City of
Orihuela, Begoña Cuartero, has outlined
the programme of investment made at
CEIP Los Dolses.
The Councillor said: "We have fulfilled
our obligation in the maintenance of the
school, attending to the solution of issues
that the management teams have sent us
and addressing each of them. We found
centres that were very lacking in attention
by the previous government team in
terms of maintenance.”
Councillor Cuartero highlighted some
of the most outstanding repairs that have
been carried out since the beginning of
the administration, such as the electric
wiring and pavement to the gymnasium,
several projects in plumbing and heating,
the repair of locks and windows, the
replacement of light switches and plugs,
painting projects, repairs to the fencing, as
well as the removal of broken furniture
and miscellaneous equipment, the
anchoring and adaptation of sports
equipment in the leisure areas, the
installation of an access ramp for the main
door and the repair of the video intercom
system and water tank – works that have
seen a total investment budget almost
41,180 euros.

congratulate the entire management
team, teaching and non-teaching staff of
the CEIP Los Dolses school, whilst
thanking the AMPA for its involvement
and members of the School Council for
the daily work they carry out.

On-going issues
The Councillor also took the opportunity
the report on-going issues with the toilets
at the school and lack of teaching staff.
However she was keen to point out that
‘there is no health risk for students or to
the educational community in regard to
the state of one of the toilets on the
ground floor of the building, which has a
leak’. In addition, she added that "it has
been ruled out that it is due to the state of
the sanitation network or that it is the
dirty water from the drainage pipe that
flows into the toilet that is spilling on the
floor, which would cause a danger to
public health”.
The toilet in question has been closed
on several occasions to try and discover
the origin of the leak or to see if it was a
break. However, now the toilet is open,
and if it does have to close closed, there is
another on the same floor and on the first
floor, ‘which can be used without crowds

“We have
fulfilled our
obligation
in the
maintenance of
the school...”
B E G O N A C UA R T E R O
In addition, the council also pointed
out the actions that are being carried out
in the library at the school, "which is being
remodelled with the aim of carrying out
an initiative that would allow the use of
this library and those of all the schools in
Orihuela Costa to be used as libraries after
school hours and to be open to the
general community on non-school days”.
The Councillor said that she wished to

or queues’ said Councillor Cuartero.
The Councillor said: What is more
dangerous and harmful for students and
their development is the absence of
Spanish language teachers since the start
of the school year in September, taking
into account that 80 percent of its
students belong to different nationalities
and need to learn the language quickly.”
Mireille Toddington

News

5

6

News

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f r o m

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to tender and the bidding process being in
place, the existing company was successful
in the bidding process. This company has
already been proved to have their faults and
now the council is left with no other option
but to work with them and monitor them
closely to ensure that they fulfil their
obligations.

Income and expenses

local government intends to continue
with some of these projects.

A story of waste
What is perhaps essential to understand
is the pivotal place that the waste
collection and cleaning serviceshave in
town hall budgets. These services take a
terrific portion of the town’s budget and
have been at the centre of corruption
charges in some localities. Contracts
handed out to friends and relatives for
perks and presents have hit headlines in
different regions.
When the current council took over in
May 2015, they discovered that this major
contract was about to run out and there
was no time to establish the correct
procedures for starting a new one.
‘We were left with no option,’ explains
Councillor Hurtado. ‘You cannot have a
situation where your schools are not
cleaned or your litter collected, we had to
continue with the current arrangements
until we were in a position to budget
properly for the future.’
The issue of whether services should
be privatised or in the public domain is
one that it is at the heart of the town
council’s planning. They would like to see
services brought back into the control of
the municipality. This includes the local
bus service; ‘Even given that we would
have to buy new stock, buses, bin lorries
and equip them,’he explains.‘It would still
represent a saving for the town. This is
something we want to pursue but cannot
happen overnight.’

However, the process isn’t always easy.
To begin with, it’s a lengthy one and
Torrevieja has found it difficult to provide
sufficient legal and technical man power to
ensure that all the contracts go ahead with
sufficient speed and at the time they’re
needed. The May Fair is one example where
there was insufficient time to enable the

Even with a budget agreed, not everything
is in the town hall’s control. The economic
crises meant that Spain had to agree terms
and conditions to show that they were on
track to rectify their deficits. Much of the
economic belt tightening was passed on
down to the town halls.
Since then they have been struggling to
balance the EU requirements they must
abide by whilst maintaining the necessary
services and planning for the future. Their
capacity to do this has also been hit by the
loss of income as a result of the reduction in
IBI and Plusvalía.
IBI is the council tax that everyone in
Spain must pay who owns a property there.
It is the equivalent to rates or council tax in
the UK and is used to provide services for
the town. The main opposition party has
pushed for a reduction in IBI which means
that the council will have a smaller income
to provide services with. Another factor is
the current frieze on the collection of
Plusvalía. This is a tax that those selling
properties have had to pay due to the
‘increase’ in the value of the land it is built
on. It is a kind of capital gains tax that has
still had to be paid until recently, even when
the property was sold for less that it was
bought for. Following some court cases,
SUMA are currently not collecting this tax.
The good news is that the council has
saved money by paying off some debts to
the banks. By clearing these they have
saved on paying interest and other
repayments that would have had to be paid
incrementally.

What will we see?
Councillor Hurtado is passionate about his
budget, the historical legacy that the new
council has had to cope with and the
possibilities for the future. However, what

Contracts are key
The council is anxious to ensure that all
the services that are provided are done so
through the proper methods. This
includes that businesses have
opportunity to put their bids out to
tender. The council must decide which
ones represent the best value for money
as well as fulfilling other criteria such as
equality law and conditions for workers.

correct process to be carried out.
In some cases, what’s missing are the
businesses to compete and provide the
services needed. Councillor Hurtado refers
to the maintenance contracts for the
schools. In spite of the contract going out

people really want to know is what they can
expect to see changing around them. The
good news is that change is already
happening. For example, the area around
the plaza del Oriente, by the ‘star wars’
church, is being renovated. Many other

streets are also down for renovation. There
is a budget for gardens and parks and
improvements will be made, for example,
to the La Mata cemetery park which is a
very popular place for families in the
summer.
Street lighting is another major project
and we should see improvements to the
infrastructure here. These improvements
should also lead to savings in the future too
with more economical systems being fitted.
A major push is being seen in relation to
the use of IT to deliver services. If you have
ever waited for hours in the PROP office in
town then you will be delighted to hear that
the council is planning to make
improvements to its IT capacity, allowing
many activities, such as this, to take place
online. Sports facilities are also down on the

list. The athletics tracks and sports
stadium are in need of refurbishment.
Making good these facilities, many of
which have suffered from under
maintenance, will be of benefit to sports
tourism as well as being used by local
people.
With the issuing of new contracts for
many services it is anticipated that we
should see an improvement in the
service we are receiving. A better
transport, waste and cleaning service are
high on the agenda. Not everything will
happen over night. But at last the council
has a budget they can work with and
that will enable them to make decisions
to benefit the people of Torrevieja in the
future.
Suzanne O’Connell

The project has been joined by 25
different establishments.
The exact menu and price will be
decided by the establishment itself and
vary from between €5.95 to €25 and in
some cases is a discount on the overall
price. Inorder to claim their reduction,
customers will need to show their
entrance ticket to the event.
The initiative has already begun and
will continue until June 30th when a
decision will be made as to whether it
continues after the summer season too.
Information about the project can be
found on www.shoppingtorrevieja.com
and is in both Spanish and English.

Cleaning up Torrevieja
A group of Scandinavians are spending
every Monday keeping fit whilst
cleaning up the local environment.
‘Walk and clean’ is the idea of Eva
Wieselberg and people of any
nationality are welcome to join in.
The group meet in the avenida de Paris
every Monday at 10am dressed in
sports clothes and with bin bags. They
target areas where town services are
less rigorous in their cleaning attempts.
Samira Cures lived in Sweden for
many years and explains that this type
of initiative isn’t unusual there. Groups
of neighbours will meet for lunch and
then take a walk whilst picking up the
rubbish that has accumulated over the
winter.
Suzanne O’Connell

60th Wedding Anniversary
John and Glen Mazdon (pictured here in 1958)
celebrated their 60th wedding Anniversary this
week. A day-time party was held at The Captain’s
Bar, Punta Marina with a fantastic buffet and
entertainment by Stevie Spit and Graeme Mykal.

From the 16th March free guided tours of
some of Torrevieja’s main attractions will
be available. The tours will take place on
Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am until
12pm and on Saturdays from 10.30am
until 12.30pm. Groups of up to 15
participants will be taken on a tour of the
town centre and will hear about its history
in both English and Spanish.
The initiative was announced by
Councillor Fanny Serrano who explained
that the route taken will show the
traditional Torrevieja and its main features
whilst also emphasising its origins as a
fishing village and a source of salt. The tour
will include visits to the Salt Museum, the
Eras de la Sal, the Casino and the Dique de
Levante. For an additional two euros you
will be able to visit the floating museums
of the submarine S-61 and the Patrulla
Albatros.
The guided tours will be conducted by
people taking part in the employment

workshops in the town which are being
funded by councillor Victor Ferrández.
They are considered to be of interest, not
only to tourists but to those people who
live here too and want to know more
about the town’s origins. Although the
tours are not very long it is recommended
that people wear comfortable footwear as
it is all on foot.
If you are interested in taking part
then you can register online at
www.turismodetorrevieja.com or you can
go personally to the tourism office on the
Paseo de Vista Alegre from Monday to
Friday from 9am until 7pm and on
Saturdays from 10am until 2pm.
10,000 brochures advertising the event
are being distributed in tourist offices
around the province. The tours are in
addition to those that are already very
successfully conducted around the natural
lakes and parks of Torrevieja and La Mata.
Suzanne O’Connell

Guardia Civil help keep
Quesada residents safe
The Cultural Centre in Quesada was the
setting for a recent meeting hosted by the
Guardia Civil and Rojales Town Hall aimed
at keeping local residents safe and secure.
It was standing room only as hundreds
turned out to here free and professional
advice to keep criminals at bay.
The talk was given by Officer Sanchez,
translated into English by Jose Ramon
from the International Residents Office
and also hosted by Derek Monks and
Councillor Lordes Lopez.
The officer began by assuring
residents that the reason for the talk was
not because there had been an increase
in crime, but more because the MO
(modus operandi) or they way criminals
are now carrying out petty crime has
changed. Criminals are now actively
targeting the elderly and those who live
on their own and also making the most of
the
opportunities
afforded by new foreign
residents and holiday
makers.

Officer Sanchez

The presentation was accompanied by
a video and the talk was given in Spanish
and then in English. The officer focused on
several themes of crimes that are
common in the local area such as home
break-ins, street crime, airport followers,
Gas man frauds, at the market and cash
machine robberies.
The advice covered common sense
tips to keep people safe
at home, such as
removing rugs and
obstacles on the floor
(such as shoes) if you
have mobility or sight
issues, being careful
around gas fires and
cylinders such as with
lose clothing catching in
the flame, keeping
flammable liquids stored
way and having a list of
emergency numbers to
hand. Another tip was to
keep a mobile phone in
your pocket whilst at
home alone. Many
people fall and are
trapped on the floor for days
because they can’t get up
and can’t ring for help.
The fairly new ‘Hugger
Mugger’ MO is one that
the Guardia Civil feels
people need to be aware
of. This is when an
attractive
woman
targets a usually older
man. She will approach
them as a long lost

friend, hugging and fussing them. Of
course she is a complete stranger who is
rifling your pockets. She moves away
quickly, passing the wallet, watch, money
to a hidden accomplice. The crime is hard
to prove and prosecute as even if caught
the woman no longer has any stolen
items of her and it’s the victim’s word
against hers.

If a stranger hugs you, shout and make
a scene. Remove their hands from you and
move away immediately. Ask for help or
for someone to call the police.
Airport following is a more well-known
type of theft but again this has evolved
lately to being more common in
supermarket or restaurant car parks. The
thieves watch for hire cars leaving the
Continued on page 14

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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the stars, therefore the quality of his workmanship
is extremely high!
After leaving SKY, Ian set up his own business
in the UK and ran this very successfully for 5 years
before moving to Spain.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
Any concerns or queries are dealt with in a clear
and professional manner and clients can call the
office at any point if they have any queries. This
ensures that all of their customers have
complete peace of mind throughout the
lifetime of the service.
We also realise that technology involved can
be confusing, but we are happy to spend
time with our customers to ensure that thay
get the best system for their needs.

WHY CHOOSE GO SATELLITE?
We are here to help!
We can arrange installation of TV direct from the
satellite with no monthly payments. We are able to
make repairs to existing satellite systems,
potentially saving you from additional costs.
Here at Go Satellite we only use top quality
Portuguese dishes and quality German LNBs.
We also provide Sky receivers direct from the UK.
Over the years we have installed thousands of
satellite TV systems with packages to suit
everybody’s requirements and budget. Go Satellite
offer expertise, reassurance and a proven track
record which can be backed up by many satisfied
customers.

So, if you are fed up of missing your favourite
programmes or you have lost your TV signal
and do not want to lose out any more, then call
965 725 670 or e-mail info@freetvspain.com
Alternatively, check out the website:
www.freetvspain.com

WHERE ARE WE?
GO SATELLITE is based in Ciudad Quesada.
Come and view our systems and find one
that’s right for you! No room for a dish?
Not a problem ... we have a solution

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12

News

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

Wage gap for many
women in Spain exposed
A new study shows that
women in Spain earn
13 per cent less than
men for similar work.
Men and women who perform similar
tasks in the workplace do not earn the
same in Spain. Women’s hourly earnings
are 12.7 percent lower than men’s,
according to a study that is based on
statistically adjusted EU data from 2014.
This figure is lower than in 2002, the
first year covered by the research, but it
still evidences “some worrisome
dynamics.” The gap exists across
variables such as age, education, years’
of service, occupation, type of contract,
length of working day, activity and
company size.
Gender pay gap deniers have long
claimed that these differences in
earnings stem from the fact that women
tend to work fewer paid hours, have
more precarious jobs, perform lowerpaid work and have fewer job
responsibilities. Yet this claim now
appears to have been debunked by the
adjusted figures, which emerge from a
research project funded by the
Foundation for Applied Economic
Studies (FEDEA), and to which EL PAÍS
has had access.
The study was headed by José
Ignacio Ruiz-Conde, a Spanish
economist who teaches at Madrid’s
Complutense University and is deputy

director at FEDEA, a think tank that
conducts research on economic and
social issues affecting Spain and is
sponsored by major Spanish firms such
as banks Santander and BBVA, and
utilities such as Iberdrola.
The project used data from the EU’s
Structure of Earnings Survey for 2014,
the most recent available year, which
show that a woman’s hourly earnings
are 14.9 percent lower than a man’s. But
this figure is unadjusted and does not
necessarily mean that the jobs are
similar, or even comparable. In order to
achieve a more homogeneous
comparison,
FEDEA
researchers
adjusted the figures according to
impact on wages caused by variables
such as age, experience, contract type
and others.
But researchers note that the
Eurostat survey “does not contain
information about the number of
children or the socioeconomic traits of
people who could have joined the
workforce but didn’t.”
The result of this research is a pay
gap of nearly 13 percent, compared
with nearly 15% in the EU survey. If
annual earnings are considered instead
– and these are what really determine a
person’s quality of life – the gap reaches
23 percent (€20,051.58 for women
versus €25,992.76 for men).
Paying a woman less than a man for
the same position has been illegal since
1980. These statistical analyses do not
claim that this is happening, since the

data is not detailed enough to know
whether two individuals are performing
the exact same job in the same
company and with the same collective
bargaining agreement.
Instead, these studies “measure
whether men and women are receiving
similar pay for similar tasks.” And that is
where a pay gap shows up across
variables.

Worrying
The FEDEA report notes that “significant
progress has been made, adjusting for
all observable characteristics, as the gap
has shrunk by a third since 2002,” the
starting year for the analysis. This
progress is tied to “education,
experience and average years of
service.” However, the study adds that
“we are still far from gender equilibrium,
and a few worrisome dynamics persist.”
One of these is the fact that “the gap
increases with age.” Women under 30
earn 4.7% less, and this percentage rises
progressively to 17.2% among women
over 59. Maternity could be an
explanation, but researchers warn that
the survey does not contain information
about personal family circumstances,
and so “it is not possible to estimate the
effect” of child-rearing on pay gaps.
Researchers also suggested that,
based on an analysis of other studies,
the pay gap could also be influenced by
the fact that “women tend to be worse
negotiators than men when they are
negotiating something for themselves.”

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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News

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

WEEKLY EURO UPDATE
At the end of last week, PM Theresa May
gave a speech which acknowledged that
trade with the EU will become more
difficult, the ECJ will continue to have a say
on certain matters and some freedom of
movement will persist. This more realistic
tone appeared to reassure investors and
sterling was on average unchanged on the
day. Early in the week, sterling received
some help from the UK services sector
purchasing managers' index, which was a
point and a half higher on the month at
54.5. Although the numbers from Euroland
and the States were all better than that,
most of them came in below forecast while
the UK figure beat it by a point. So the
pound strengthened by an average of 0.3%,
losing out only to the rand.
The euro was helped by news that
Germany's Angela Merkel has, after five
months, secured a coalition deal. It was
temporarily hurt by the lack of a clear-cut
Italian election result but the initial reaction
passed swiftly because investors are largely
acclimatised to unstable politics in Italy. The
euroland PMI numbers were lower on the
month but still within a healthy range,
coming in at 56.2. The European Central
Bank dropped some key wording regarding
the future of monetary policy Inflation
forecasts for 2019 were revised lower, but
2018 GDP growth was revised up to 2.4%,
from the previous forecast for 2.3% and
2019 growth is forecast at 1.9%. The change
in tone meant the ECB appears willing to
extend its quantitative easing programme if
needed. The current EUR30bn per month

Guardia Civil help keep
Quesada residents safe
airport and follow them. Many people go directly to
the supermarket or a restaurant, rather than home
and this is where the thieves pop the boot and steal
the luggage. If possible always go to your holiday
home first and secure your belongings in a safe and
set the alarm if you do need to go back out. Leaves
lights and the TV on too so criminals don´t know if
someone is at home, or not.
Gas man fraud where the bogus employee tries to

asset purchase program extends to
September 2018, or until 'a sustained
adjustment in the path of inflation
consistent with its inflation aim' is seen. ECB
President Mario Draghi made it clear that
the ECB would continue to be reactive to the
situation.
In the US, Donald Trump's imposition of
import taxes on steel and aluminium was
met by threats of retaliation by the EU and
Canada. Off the cuff, Brussels spoke of tariffs
on motorbikes from Milwaukee and fried
chickens from Kentucky. America's ISM
reading was 59.5, which is well within the
growth zone. The US dollar has been
through some ups and downs this week,
however. Early suspicion that the trade war
could be called off was positive for the US
dollar, as was Fed governor Lael Brainard's
bullish speech about monetary policy.
Speculation that North Korea might ditch its
nuclear weapons knocked the dollar back,
as did Mr Trump's escalation of trade
tensions and Gary Cohn's resignation.
Investors seized upon comments from the
White House suggesting that Canada and
Mexico might not be hit by protectionist
tariffs later in the week. Rightly or wrongly
they inferred that the president could be
about to cave in to free-market advocates in
his own party. The Greenback was just about
unchanged on the day. Investors appear to
believe that the president is playing to his
fan-base and that the tariffs will not easily
find their way into the tax code. A $56.6bn
monthly US trade deficit, the biggest in nine
years, was not enough to shake that belief.

Continued from page 10

and move quickly on. Make sure all of your jewellery
is insured, keep receipts for it and take pictures to
prove ownership.
Be aware at cash machines as thieves regularly
steak out the busiest branches watching for large cash
withdrawals. They specifically target young, female
and elderly people in snatch and grabs as they believe
they will offer less resistance. Officer Sanchez advises
to never fight or give resistance, hand the money over

The panel
get you to pay for replacement equipment is an old
trick here on the Costas, but one that unfortunately
still works. No utility company will send out a worker
without prior appointment and all charges are paid
through the monthly bill, not in cash at the home.

Out and about
When out and about don’t carry more cash than you
need and split it between your pockets so it’s not all
in one place. Same goes for your cards and ID. If you
are pickpocketed, they will usually go for one pocket

because violence may follow if you don’t, and your
health is worth a lot more. However, if possible try and
note as much information about your attacker as you
can, such as their clothing and personal appearance.
There were many more crimes covered and advice
given during the talk and a safety leaflet and
information is available in English from the
International Residents Office at the Municipal Centre,
Quesada.
Mireille Toddington

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Homes & Gardens

As well known for its striking flowers as for the fruit itself, the passion fruit vine is loved by many. Passiflora edulis is a fast-growing, climbing vine
that flowers from late spring to late autumn with fruiting following on the heels of bloom. The slightly fragrant and exotic flowers are the main
draw of this plant, but its fruits are coveted by many for eating fresh from the vine as well as for preserving.

The passion fruit is a vigorous, climbing vine that clings by
tendrils to almost any support. It can grow 15 to 20 ft. per year
once established and must have strong support. It is generally
short-lived (5 to 7 years). The evergreen leaves of passion fruit
are alternate, deeply three-lobed when mature and finely
toothed. A single, fragrant flower, 2 to 3 inches wide, is born at
each node on the new growth. Purple passion fruit is selffruitful, but pollination is best under humid conditions. The
flowers of the yellow form are perfect but self-sterile. Bees and
other large insects are the most efficient pollinators. Wind is
ineffective because of the heaviness and stickiness of the
pollen. The flowers can also be hand pollinated.

Soil:
Passion fruit vines grow on many soil types, but light to heavy
sandy loams with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 are the most suitable.
Excellent drainage is absolutely necessary. Also, the soil should
be rich in organic matter and low in salts. Because the vines are
shallow-rooted, they will benefit from a thick layer of organic
mulch.
Irrigation: Regular watering will keep a vine flowering and
fruiting almost continuously. Water requirement is high when
fruits are approaching maturity. If the soil is dry, fruits may

shrivel and fall prematurely.
Fertilization: Passion fruit vines are vigorous growers and
require regular fertilizing.
Pruning: Pruning is necessary to keep the vines within
bounds, to make harvest easier and to keep the plants
productive by maintaining vigorous growth. In warm winter
climates prune immediately after harvest. In areas with cool
winters prune in early spring.
Propagation: Passion fruit vines are usually grown from
seeds. Seed planted soon after removal from the fruit will
germinate in 10 to 20 days. Cleaned and stored seeds have a
lower and slower rate of germination. Seeds should be planted
1/2 to 1 inch deep in beds, and seedlings may be transplanted
when 10 inches high. Plants can also be propagated by layers
or cuttings of matured wood with 3 to 4 nodes. Rooting may be
hastened by hormone treatment. Cuttings should be well
rooted and ready for setting out in 90 days.

Fruit and Harvest:
The passion fruit is round to oval, either yellow or dark purple
at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with
numerous seeds (a bit like a pomegranate). The unique flavour
is appealing, musky, guava-like and sweet/tart to tart. The
yellow form has generally larger fruit than the purple, but the
pulp of the purple is less acid, richer in aroma and flavour, and
has a higher proportion of juice. The fruit will quickly turn from
green to deep purple (or yellow) when ripe and then fall to the
ground within a few days. They can either be picked when they
change colour or gathered from the ground each day. To store
passion fruit, wash and dry them gently and place them in
bags. They should last 2 to 3 weeks when stored cold. The fruit
is sweetest when slightly shrivelled. The fruit is both eaten and
juiced - both the fruit and the juice freeze well. Fresh passion
fruit is high in beta carotene, potassium, and fibre and is also a
good source of vitamin C. Marc Vijverberg

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Homes & Gardens

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Travel

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

WELCOME TO LEÓN
with Vivalia Travel
León is the capital of the province of León, located in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 127,817
(2015) makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the
province's population. Including the metropolitan area, the population is estimated at 202,793 (2015).

Kingdom of León
The post-Roman history of the
city is largely the history of the
Kingdom of León. The station
of the legion in the territory of
the Astures grew into an
important city, which resisted
the attacks of the Visigoths
until AD 586, when it was taken
by Leovigild; and it was one of
the few cities which the
Visigoths allowed to retain
their fortifications.
The Kingdom of León
started as an independent
Kingdom in 910 when the seat
of Asturias moved to León, but
there was no such thing as an
official name change.
The Kingdom of León
conquered
the
Leonese
Extremadura under Alfonso IX.
After his death his son
Fernando III, already king of
Castile, joined both crowns in
1230. His son, Alfonso X
divided the kingdom again in
his testament, but it was not
accepted by the King of Castile,
who rejoined both crowns.
From 1296 to 1301. León was
an independent kingdom
again, and from then until
1833, when Spain was divided
into regions and provinces, the
Kingdom of León kept itself as
a Spanish Crown territory,
whose capital city was León
apart from a short period,
during which French troops
invaded the Kingdom when it
was Carracedo.

What to see
Gaudí’s Casa Botines: The
famous architect Antoni Gaudí
not only designed buildings in
Barcelona, but in northern

Spain, too. One of these is
Leon’s Casa Botines, which
opened in April 2017 for the
first time in 125 years. Built
between 1891 and 1892, it was
commissioned
by
Simón
Fernández and Mariano Andrés
González, representatives of
the Hispano-Colonial Bank of
Barcelona. From the outside, it
looks like a medieval fortress,
but it was actually inspired by
Leon’s gothic cathedral.
The Museo de Leon: Leon
Museum is one the oldest and
biggest history museums in
the region of Castilla y Leon.
The permanent collection
takes visitors on a journey back
in time through the province.
Objects on display date as far
back as the Bronze and Iron
Ages. There are also artefacts
from Las Médulas, the ancient
Roman gold-mining site.
Leon
Cathedral
and
Museum: Leon’s Cathedral, the
Catedral de Santa María de
Regla de Leon, is a French style
gothic cathedral, which was
built on the site of King Ordoño
II’s royal palace. He wanted to
give thanks to God after he was
able to defeat the Moors, and
the cathedral was his way of
doing this. It has a stunning
facade, decorated with a huge
rose window and lots of
colourful stained glass. As well
as seeing inside the cathedral,
visitors can learn more about it
and see some of its exquisite
objects on display at the
museum.
Museo
de
Arte
Contemporáneo: The Museo
de Arte Contemporaneo, one
of the most important

contemporary art museums in
Castilla y Leon, houses more
than 1,650 works by around
400 Spanish and Leonese
artists, as well as international
ones. The works only date as far
back as 1992, and one of its
most impressive galleries is the
one devoted to the 21st
century. Inaugurated in 2005, it
was designed by architects Luis
Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón, and
is covered in hundreds of
sheets of rainbow-coloured
glass, which are supposed
mimic the colours of the
stained glass of the cathedral.
Have Tapas in the Barrio
Húmedo: The Barrio Húmedo
is the name given to the city’s
casco antiguo, or old town. It
translates as the ‘wet district’,
because it’s where the city’s
biggest concentration of bars,
pubs and taverns is located.
This is also where you’ll find the
city’s best tapas bars. What
better way to seek out the best
of them than to hop from bar
to bar, sampling as you go?
Have a Drink on the Plaza
Mayor: At the centre of the city
sits the grand Plaza Mayor,
surrounded by colonnade
arches, beautiful architecture
and buildings painted in
crimsons, mustards and rose. It
was originally constructed in
1672, although there were
some later additions in 1677.
The original name of the
square was Plaza Pan, or Bread
Square, because it was home to
so many bakeries. Why not
admire this elegant square and
its graceful Consistory building
from one of the many cafes
while you enjoy a drink?

CHRISTMAS CRUISE

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

HELP WITH CARE IS
AVAILABLE

If you need care in Spain and
don’t know where to turn for
information and advice you could
try contacting the CARE Group of
Torrevieja. This group was
founded by HELP Vega Baja and
meets regularly to help coordinate and share information
between Welfare Officers and
Social Services, all with the aim of
making what’s available more
accessible.
‘One issue that is often raised,’
explains Michele Masson who is
chair of the CARE group, ‘is what
support people can access when
they have difficulties coping with
day to day living through perhaps
a disability or illness. People often
need care at home which is a cost
that many cannot afford. There
are several exportable benefits
that, if the criteria for applying is
met, can still be received here in
Spain, such as Attendance
Allowance.’

Michele is concerned that she
has heard of organisations that
will help people complete the
necessary forms but at a cost. This
is a service that the CARE group
offer for free. Companies are
allowed to charge for this service
but if you don’t have the money
to pay for it, Michele would like
people to know that they can ask
CARE to help instead.
‘Volunteers throughout the
area have a wealth of knowledge,’
Michele points out. ‘They work
with social workers, have training
sessions to keep up to date and
are very happy to give their time
to not only assist in the
completion of the application
form but also to suggest other
means of valuable support, other
than financial, that may be
available.’
Some people can also apply for
help through the Spanish Ley de
Dependencia provided they are

resident and on the padrón.
Although
you
need
to
collaborate with your GP, Social
Worker and town hall to receive
this, CARE can help point you in
the right direction. Again, this
service is free of charge.
‘Over the past 12 months the
CARE group has proved a
valuable resource,’ says Michele.
‘Being chronically ill or disabled
wherever you are in the world,
can be scary, particularly when
you are living in a country and
you don’t speak the language.
Charities, social services, and in
some cases, your town hall will be
able to help direct you to support
that can make a significant
different in your life.’
If you would like more
information you can email
Michele
at
president@helpvegabaja or call
966 723 733.
Suzanne O’Connell

www.costablancapeople.com

21

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

My son is consumed by phone and social I am in my final year of University, and my
media to the point of not wanting to talk or have
a conversation with anyone anymore. He is 9. I
would like some advice because something needs
to change. Last Sunday lunchtime when his
grandparents came to visit after not seeing them
for 12 months, he hardly said two words to them,
and grunted through lunch, staring at his phone.

Prolonged use of gadgets and games can lead to
anxiety and leave children less connected to
reality. Your son is only 9 years old and already
he is using these things freely. First of all I would
ban gadgets at mealtimes, and when you have
company. Set time limits on the computer in the
week, for homework use only, monitor what he is
doing, and switch off the wifi at 8pm every night.
Only allow two hours a day at weekend to spend
on the phone and playing computer games. The
rest of the time, look into getting your child out
of the house and taking part in outdoor pursuits.

father and step-mother have informed me that
they are moving house and down-sizing, as they
need the money. Therefore there is no longer a
bedroom for me. I had hoped to return home, but
it has been made clear that I should fend for
myself from now on. They are still funding my
education until I leave Uni, and they have said
they will give me a deposit on an apartment, pay
the rent for the first six months, and expect me to
get a job. I think they are being too harsh.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think your parents are being harsh at all.
You are considered to be an adult now, and when
you leave University, you can look for work and
get yourself an apartment. They are being
generous enough to set you up for six months,
which is more than some children get. Everyone
at some point has to stand on their own two feet.
We cannot rely on our parents all our lives, and
they too have their own lives to live.

WRITE TO SARA IN CONFIDENCE. A PSEUDONYM WILL BE USED IF YOU WISH. SARA READS ALL LETTERS
AND CAN GIVE A PERSONAL REPLY. EMAIL YOUR QUESTION TO SARA@COSTABLANCAPEOPLE.COM OR
SARA IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS, TELEPHONE 650 054 467.

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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Volunteers plan to
protect our natural parks
Those people who live in and
visit Torrevieja sometimes do
not even know that here we
have two natural lakes of
astounding beauty. The lagunas
of La Mata and Torrevieja and
the surrounding parks are to be
enjoyed and cared for. They are a
very special resource, as those
who volunteer to keep them
that way, know.
The Asociacíon de las Rutas y
Caminos de la Sal meet regularly
to coordinate their activities in
keeping these area of natural
beauty as we would want them.
At their last meeting on Saturday
3rd March eleven volunteers
attended and discussed their
plans for this year.
Planned events include the
release of more fartets on March
14th in different parts of the
park. The fartets are toothcarp
fish that are bred in the visitor’s
centre and are then released into
the lake. They are currently in
danger of extinction and last
year a number were released
into the Rambla de Fayona part
of the lake.
It is intended to continue with
the re-varnishing of signs once
decisions have been made
about the paths in the park.
Every year the volunteers help
keep the signs in good order to
make sure that everyone

understands the rules they must
following whilst using it.
The good news was shared
that Councillor Carmen Morate
has given the volunteers some Tshirts in recognition of what they
do and more are expected to

safe from any working machinery
belonging to the salt works. The
new zone would have a walkway
to access it and the rest of the
lake would be monitored more
closely than it is at present.
The volunteers have a busy

arrive shortly. At this last meeting
it was agreed that Maureen Moss
be president of the group. As
with all voluntary organisations,
it can be difficult to find people
prepared to step up and take
posts of responsibility.
Other items discussed at the
meeting included the use of
Torrevieja lake for bathing and
the plans to restrict this. Bathing
in the lake is, in fact, prohibited.
However, many people do so and
the current proposal is to fence
off part of the lake. This will allow
people still to bathe in the salt
water whilst ensuring they stay

annual schedule which last year
included the repositioning and
restoration of bird boxes and
helping the park to celebrate its
20th anniversary. It’s not all work,
however, and the volunteers also
took part in some of the special
activities that are held to
publicise
this
natural
environment.
You can find out more about
the group on their Facebook page
Lagunas de Torrevieja y La Mata
Voluntarios or from their blog
http://lamataparkvolunteers.blog
spot.com.es
Suzanne O’Connell

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Business Profile

Property knowledge and
experience with Hahn-Fürstenberg
Established more than 20 years’
ago, family-run estate agent
Hahn-Fürstenberg has a huge
amount of experience in the
local property market. Based at
La Zenia, the business was
founded in 1995. In 1999 Marc
Brocher
joined
HahnFürstenberg as sales manager
and then took over the company
10 years ago.

The small, dedicated team at
Hahn-Fürstenberg are handpicked property specialists who
have extensive knowledge of
the Costa Blanca property
market and speak English,
German, Spanish, Russian,
Scandinavian languages. They

cover: Orihuela Costa, Torrevieja
and surrounding areas such as
San Miguel and Pilar.
Customer service is at the
heart of the business and in
addition to the usual and
general estate agent provisions,
the staff at Hahn-Fürstenberg
will help clients with an array of
associated services such as help
with opening a bank account,
obtaining
a
mortgage,
obtaining an
NIE, preparation
for completion,
providing
a
translator,
accompanied
notary
visits
and full aftersales service.
Clients
also
Local office receive
free
valuations and
advice.
What really makes HahnFürstenberg stand out is the
level of service and attention to
detail. Company owner Marc
leads by example and takes a full
hands-on approach, personally
viewing the properties and

showing them to clients. Marc is
happy to accompany clients to
the bank and notary and always
uses
his
considerable
experience to ensure that
buying or selling a property

Business Profile: Please note that all information contained within this CostaBlanca People Business Profile has been
provided by the client, and is therefore deemed correct and accurate. Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies are the sole
responsibility of the client.

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www.costablancapeople.com

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Business Profile

Tasty Trio courtesy of Chef Robert

Former Costa Blanca People Culinary
Awards Chef of the Year Robert
Johansen has a wealth of international
experience, and has been Head Chef
and Patron Chef of some of the most
renowned restaurants on the Costa
Blanca. He currently owns and runs
three amazing local eateries; all offering
very different culinary and overall
dining experiences for all occasions
from a Friday night catch up with
friends, to a leisurely lunch or a special
celebration meal.

Restaurant Las Cuevas
This stunning restaurant is one of the
most unique local dining venues.
Nestled in the caves of San Miguel these
once residential homes have been
transformed into a dining with a
difference. The caves offer discerning
diners the opportunity for romantic,
private dining with tables of varying
sizes strategically placed in alcoves,
arches and recesses rather than a
standard dining space with several
tables. However, the cosy atmosphere
belies the sizes of the restaurant with
the ability to seat 60 inside and the same
number of people out on the terrace.
Therefore, Las Cuevas rarely has to
refuse a booking despite its excellent
reputation and popularity.
Through the winter the restaurant
offers evening dining only with a set
menu for 35 euros – but adds a lunch
serving during the Summer - the
starters are Alioli and Farmer’s bread,
Salad Murcia, Cold cuts, Leek and Potato
soup or Garlic Prawns. Main courses
include Lamb shank, steaks, fish, oven-

roasted ribs of pork, Duck confit and
fillet of Venison. For dessert diners can
chose from home-made Tiramisu, Ice
cream cup, Fruits of the forest, Creamed
rice pudding. The meal includes all wine,
beer, soft drinks and coffee.
This approach has proven very

popular as there are no hidden costs
and large celebratory groups know
exactly how much the bill is going to be.
Tables are booked for the evening so the
meal can be enjoyed, there is never a
rush to clear the table for the next sitting
and diners and encouraged to relax and
savour the cuisine and the experience.
The restaurant caters for all allergies
such as gluten or lactose intolerance
and also has vegetarian and vegan
options.
Las Cuevas is located in Bario Primero
de Mayo 13, San Miguel and opens
every evening from 6pm until 10pm,
except Monday. Call 966 723 432 for
more information or to book your table.

La Cuevas Tapas
Despite also being located in a cave
setting in San Miguel, that is where the
similarity ends between the two
restaurants. The Tapas caves offer a
more contemporary setting and so
much more than simply tapas. This is
tapas
with
the
difference,
gourmet
delights that have little
in common with the
traditional taps served in
bars. Examples include:
rolls of rice paper filled
with
fresh
salmon,
avocado and cream
cheese, sautéed beef
with vegetables, creamy
fish cake and barbeque
chicken.
There is also a 25 euro
sampling menu for

those who really don’t want to miss out
on any of the delights on offer and there

are also set menu options that begin at
19 euros per person. For those with a
bigger appetite, the restaurant offers a
selection of larger plates. All of the food
at the Tapas Caves focuses on clean
tastes, using the freshest of ingredients.
The Tapas Caves can be found at Calle
Cenia 11, San Miguel and opens every
day from 1pm to 11pm, except Sunday.
Call 600 001 117 for more information
or to book your table.
Beer & Burger
This newly opened eatery is completely
different from its sister restaurants,
except of course fabulous food.
However, as the name suggests, Beer &
Burger is full of rustic charm and a
relaxed, chatty atmosphere. This is the
perfect place to meet friends for a drink
at the end of the day and indulge in
hearty, feel-good fodder.
The interior is modern and meant for
groups of friends and family of all ages.
The bench seats and low tables
encourage
conversation
and
interaction, giving a casual and buzzy
feel to the bar. Added to this is the
spontaneous
live
entertainment
programme, which is always a great
way to create a party atmosphere.

This is comfort food at its best; the
lunch menu includes: Club sandwiches,
brunch of eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato
and toast. With appetisers such as:
nachos, chicken wings and nuggets.
Other light bites include wraps and
salads or for something more filling try
the, steaks and ribs...or of course one of
the house name-sakes from the
selection of home-made burgers. And if

you still have room there are delightful
desserts such as chocolate with ice
cream, pancakes with Nutella, apple
crumble or milkshakes.
The full menu s also available to take
away, so you can enjoy the fabulous
food in the comfort of your own
home...or on the go.
Beer & Burger can be found on the
ring road of San Miguel, Ronda Oeste,
44. It is open every day from 1pm to
11pm, except Sunday. Call 865 775 875
for more information, to book your
table or order your take away.
Business Profile: Please note that all
information contained within this CostaBlanca
People Business Profile has been provided by
the client, and is therefore deemed correct and
accurate. Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies
are the sole responsibility of the client.

So you think it’s easy to sell your home? After all, it’s not rocket science.
All you need to do is open your door and let the buyers in, right?
Wrong! There’s a lot to consider during the home selling
process, but more importantly, you’ve got a lot of
money on the line. Did you know you could ruin
your own home sale yourself, in so many ways
that are avoidable? Here are a few common
mistakes:
Did you price your home too high? Even
if inventory is low, and there aren’t many
properties on the market, some home sellers
have unrealistic expectations of what a buyer
would pay. Some people list their home at a higher price
to allow for room to negotiate, but this can backfire, especially if noone is willing to even make an offer in the first place!
Did you take your photos? You may have the most beautiful and
sought after home in your area, but if you don’t have great photos to
create the best first impression, then you may have trouble getting
buyers in the door. Get a professional to take good quality pictures,
instead of taking them yourself on your smartphone. Studies show that
professionally photographed homes sell faster, and for more money!

Did you repair that yourself? Making a few home repairs here
and there, before listing your property for sale is a great idea. However
even though doing them yourself can save you money, it can create
expensive problems if you make mistakes. Call in a handyman or
professional, and let them handle the repairs.
Did you stay for the viewing? Being present for the showing of
your home, can be a huge turnoff for a buyer. Even if you don’t say
anything, the buyer feels awkward if you’re standing there, watching
their every move. Make it easy on yourself, and easy on your buyer, by
either going for a short walk, or sit in the garden with a book, whilst
your home is being shown by your Real Estate Agent. This will show
your buyer, you respect them for
choosing to look at your home, but it
also allows them to imagine
themselves sitting in the
garden!
Ultimately, you are more
important in the home selling
process, than you think!

For more information and guidance on buying and
selling, please contact us and we will send you our FREE ebook or log on to: www.homes4u.es/new-kindle-e-book to
request the link.
Think property? Think us, because life’s complicated
enough! See our advert in the centre pages of this
newspaper.www.homes4u.es

Bargains for everybody!
Paddy at PALM FARM is clearing his Nursery, to concentrate on his tree felling,
garden reforming and outside construction projects.
Olive trees, Palm trees, Fig trees at ridiculously low prices.
WE sent a consignment of these to UK,
where they sold on ebay for £375 each!
Only 90 available. Priced to sell quickly
@160€ each
Beautiful, Bonsai olives, around 1 metre
tall. Easy to maintain and simple to move
around your patio, decking, balcony, etc.
These little gems are the ideal solution
for your outside space. Rarely available.
Come and choose a couple, today.
NOT repeatable.
We are available most days, including
weekends,
but PLEASE check before you set oﬀ. Tel:
600 810 844

CALL
TODAY

Fantastic, old olive trees,
around 140 – 200 years old
for just 170 euros to 290 euros.
You might have seen these in UK garden
centres at £1,200 -£2,000
We have 100 to oﬀer you.
NOT repeatable at anywhere near this price.
This is a rare opportunity to re-stock your
outside space with a few choice, but
aﬀordable bargains.
Everything can be delivered to your gate for a
small fee.

PALM FARM

600 810 844

Please telephone before you visit, but we are here most days including weekends.

LIMITED STOCK
When they’re gone,
they’re gone

HOW TO FIND US: Leave AP7 motorway at Km 737 for Almoradi+Dolores, then right towards Dolores. In 2km turn left at roundabout towards CATRAL and CREVILLENTE.
As you leave the buildings behind you, there are green railings on both sides of the road. Take the ﬁrst turning on the right (CV861) and follow for 2km. We are on the left.
From LA MARINA, leave urb via back exit, right towards ELCHE, over roundabout and turn left on CV861. After 3km cross humpback bridge and we are 300 metres on the right.
716

28

Charity

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Thank you from
Age Concern
On Saturday March 3rd Maureen
Payne, President of Age Concern Costa
Blanca Sur, attended a meeting of the
ADAPT Association in Lo Pagan. She was
presented with a cheque for €500 by
Reme Ruiz, President of ADAPT.
ADAPT has two simple aims which are
the well-being of English speaking
members of the community and their

integration into the wider Spanish
Community. They raised the money
through raffles and donations at their

Andante to Perform
Premier Work
This new classical choir is to perform
concerts on April 21st, 8.30pm at Los
Montesinos Church and April 22nd,
7.30pm at Benijófar Church. Entrance will
be free with bucket collections for their
local charities. The programme will
include a work specially composed for
our choir, “All Nature Has a Feeling” by Eric
Wayman, as well as popular choral works

by Vivaldi, Faure, John Rutter and Howard
Goodall. Vicar of Dibley watchers will
certainly recognise the work by Howard
Goodall. We are still seeking new
members so anyone wishing to join our
choir
should
contact
elcvdvecht@gmail.com
or
Tel:
966716016. Come to our concerts to find
out more about us.

Samaritans Help at Home
opening party
in Spain
Confidential Support during Emotional
Difficulties: SIS offers a completely
confidential, free, telephone, face to face,
email and snail mail emotional support
service.
How we can help you
However big or small your problem is,
Samaritans in Spain provide free, totally
confidential emotional support to any
English speaker of any age or nationality,
anywhere in Spain.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year, trained
volunteers are ready to listen to you. We
will not judge you or tell you what to do
but simply listen, whatever your issue,
and support you as you explore your
feelings about what troubles you,
allowing you to decide how you might
go forward.
How you can get involved:
*Train to become a Listening Volunteer
*Become a Support Volunteer
*Hold a Fund raising Event
*Donate Money
*Spread the Word
How to Contact us
By Telephone:
For the Helpline: 900 525 100 (Call free of
charge from Spanish Landlines and
mobiles) 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
For all other information: 689 301 724
Email: info@costablancasamaritans.com
Website: samaritansinspain.com
Drop-in centre at our charity shop in
Punta Marina Centre, Punta Prima, south
of Torrevieja between 10.00am and
2,00pm Monday to Saturday

The local charity Help at Home Costa
Blanca ‘expanded’ at the weekend,
when their new office and furniture
shop was officially opened.
The opening party was attended by
almost 100 volunteers, friends and
supporters,
welcomed
by
the
president, Carmen Perez.
Situated just off the N332 at Cabo
Roig, the premises comprise a large,
bright space to display donated items
of furniture and home accessories. At
the rear is an office and interview room.
It is here that people who need a little
help can come to discuss their needs.
Maybe they are in need of help to get
them to hospital or doctors’
appointments, or shopping trips or just
want someone to visit and chat to.
The charity is always eager to hear
from volunteers willing to work in the
furniture shop or the original charity
shop in Playa Flamenca, or undertake
tasks such as driving or befriending.
People can donate directly to the
furniture shop or large items can be
collected. Pop in and have a look round
- there's parking close by.

monthly social meetings.
Reme congratulated Age Concern on
reaching their 20th anniversary this year
and reinforced the need for charities and
associations to continue their good work
in providing assistance and services for
people who need it.
Maureen Payne, on receiving the
donation, explained that this money will
go a long way to maintaining the services
that Age Concern provides for the
support and welfare of people over 50
years old.
Suzanne O’Connell

The only way is up for stroke
association
Stroke
Association
Spain
are
developing and expanding at an

Craft Fayre at TCF
Torrevieja Christian Fellowship (TCF) are holding its
annual Spring Craft Fayre at TCF Avenida de las Cortes
Valencianas 68,Torrevieja 03183 on Tuesday 27th of
March between 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. Beautiful hand
crafted items including cards, jewellery, knitted items
are available as well as home baked cakes and scones,
bric a brac and nearly new clothing. Due to relocation
there are lots of bargains to be had at rock bottom
prices, everything must go. Free admission and
refreshments are on sale. Bring your family and friends.
Doors open at 1.30 p.m. prompt.

www.costablancapeople.com

astonishing rate. Since moving into their
new premises at The Cultural Centre in
Benijófar, in September last year, they
have been able to offer better and more
varied help and facilities for stroke
sufferers and their carers.
Currently help is available at the centre

on Wednesday and Friday afternoons,
but from April the centre will be open on
Monday afternoons too, in order to meet
the increased demand. The workers are
all volunteers and assist with
documentation to access other help and
benefits; provide individually tailored
physiotherapy;
blood
pressure
monitoring;
lessons
in
Spanish
conversation; card-making and support
for the carers, and social events. The
Group would welcome any new
volunteers, especially if they have craft
skills which they would share as part of
the rehabilitation process.
On 24th March Stroke Association are
holding a Spring Fair/Open Day, from
10am to 3pm. There will be a range of
stalls offering cakes, jewellery, clothes,
books, art equipment, tombola etc. A
BBQ and music to entertain. So come
along to view the facilities, meet some of
the people who have had strokes and are
mending well, and pick up a bargain for
yourself.

Steve Spit mattress appeal
A voice for local children
There are lots of good people
living out here, many of whom
put a great deal of time and
effort into helping those less
fortunate
in
the
local
community. Indeed without
the efforts of the many expats
there would be far more
people going without in this
small part of Spain that many
of us call home.
One who puts in rather more
effort than most is local
entertainer Stevie Spit, who,
along with colleagues across
the Costa Blanca, has raised
many thousands of euros for a
whole
range
of
very
worthwhile causes.
Last year, one of Stevie Spit’s
major successes in his
increasingly busy fund raising
programme, was the ‘Summer
shoe appeal’ which, with the
support of HELP at Home Costa
Blanca, enabled him to hand
over 100 brand new pairs of
shoes to the children at the
Elche Children’s Home, and San
Jose Obrero Orphanage, in Orihuela.
Stevie said that the Directors of the
two orphanages were absolutely
overwhelmed by the generosity of the
expat community.
For Stevie’s latest appeal, which he is
running with Eileen Gleave, the
commodity has changed from shoes to
mattresses
whereby
the
local
personality is hoping to donate, a single

mattress to each of the children, in total
100 of them, one for each of the
children at both of the homes.
Stevie said “The two orphanages
have some of the most vulnerable
children that we care for - those who are
abandoned, unwanted, and who have
suffered rejection, so the very least we
can do for them is to show them that we
care.”

If we Stevie and Eileen are to
fund a new single mattress for
every child, the project will cost
them somewhere in the region
of 7,000 euro.”
Stevie said “I appreciate that
such a large amount will take us
some time to realise but with
2,800 euro already in the kitty
we have got off to a very good
start. This has allowed us to
make an initial purchase of 24
mattresses which need to be
provided in advance of the rest,
and which will be presented at a
fundraising event to be held in
Villamartin Plaza on Sunday 1st
April.”
As always the Easter Sunday
event is bound to be a
blockbuster and assisted by
both
Eileen
and
Casey
Shaddock, along with the
services of many of the Costa
Blanca’s very best entertainers, a
large portion of the funding is
sure to be achieved.
However, if you would like to
help the Costa Blanca’s most
dedicated fundraiser with his Mattress
Appeal you can do so either in
Villamartin on Easter Sunday or at any
of his events where donation tins will
be readily available. You will also be
able to find donation tins at the
Emerald Isle, The Celtic Isle, Captain
Morgan’s Bar, Yolo’s, The Quiet Man in La
Zenia Village and The Avenue Bar at
Lomas de Cabo Roig.

TOP TV AND MOVIE PICKS ★ TOP TV AND MOVIE PICKS ★ TOP TV AND MOVIE PICKS ★ TOP TV AND MOVIE PICKS ★

Loudermilk (2017) 7.3

The Punisher (2017) 8.7

Centres on Sam Loudermilk, a recovering alcoholic
and substance abuse counselor with a bad attitude.
Although he has his drinking under control, Loudermilk
discovers that when your life is a mess, getting clean
is the easy part.

After the murder of his family, Marine veteran
Frank Castle became a vigilante known as
The Punisher with only one goal in mind,
to avenge them.

Frank Griffin, an outlaw terrorizing the 1880s American
West, hunts down Roy Goode, his partner turned enemy.
Roy hides out at a ranch as Frank’s chase leads him to
La Belle, New Mexico - a town mysteriously made up
almost entirely of women.

After a night of partying with a female stranger,
a man wakes up to find her stabbed to death
and is charged with her murder.

Set in a great location this fab semi-detached/ quad “Isabel" model, with 3
bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, terrace, a rooftop solarium and a communal swimming
pool. Located VERY CLOSE and just 120 meters to many amenities.
Accommodation is over 2 floors, at the entrance an extended conservatory, a
large L- Shaped lounge/ diner, a kitchen, a shower room and a double bedroom.
Upstairs to the first floor, 2 double bedrooms and a shared family bathroom.
Patio doors leading to a terrace with views of the pool, upstairs again to the top
floor, a rooftop solarium that offers mountain views. Outside a fully tiled garden,
with secure parking and space for a private pool if desired. The villa comes with
the use of a communal pool.

Breakfast
Holding Back the Years
Homes Under the Hammer
The Sheriffs are Coming
Caught Red Handed
Bargain Hunt
BBC News at One
Regional News and Weather
Doctors
A Place to Call Home
Escape to the Country
Coast and Country Auctions
Flog It!
Pointless
BBC News at Six
Regional News and Weather
The One Show
EastEnders
Holby City
Shetland
BBC News at Ten
Regional News and Weather
This Country
Inside Britain’s Moped Crime Gangs
Drugs Map of Britain
Weather for the Week Ahead
BBC News

ITV2 Nightscreen
The Planet’s Funniest Animals
Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records
Who’s Doing the Dishes?
Emmerdale
Coronation Street
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Bachelor
Emmerdale
Coronation Street
The Jeremy Kyle Show
Judge Rinder
Take Me Out
You’ve Been Framed!
Two and a Half Men
The 40 Year Old Virgin
FYI Daily
The 40 Year Old Virgin
Family Guy
American Dad!
Two and a Half Men
Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records
Teleshopping
ITV2 Nightscreen

Moana: Special

7.00am

The Levelling

8.40am

City of Tiny Lights

10.45am

Custody

12.45pm

Wonder Woman

3.20pm

Wheeler

5.15pm

Snatched

7.00pm
9.00pm

Custody
Wonder Woman

11.25pm

City of Tiny Lights

1.20am

Snatched

3.00am

Cult of Chucky

4.40am

Two Down

6.30am

Monster Family: Special

Coast
Holding Back the Years
The Sheriffs are Coming
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Victoria Derbyshire
BBC Newsroom Live
The Daily Politics
The Super League Show
Yes Chef
Your Home in Their Hands
Planet Earth
Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Eggheads
The Repair Shop
Saving Lives at Sea
Back in Time for Tea
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
Mum
The Archiveologists
Newsnight
World’s Most Extraordinary Homes
MasterChef
An Island Parish
Royal Recipes
This is BBC Two

The Jeremy Kyle Show
Good Morning Britain
Lorraine
The Jeremy Kyle Show
This Morning
ITV Lunchtime News
ITV News London
Cheltenham Festival
Best Walks with a View
with Julia Bradbury
The Chase
ITV News London
ITV Evening News
Emmerdale
What Would Your Kid Do?
100 Years Younger in 21 Days
ITV News at Ten and Weather
ITV News London
The Cruise: Voyage to Alaska
Piers Morgan’s Life Stories
Jackpot247
ITV Nightscreen
The Jeremy Kyle Show

Beyond 100 Days
Great Irish Journeys
with Martha Kearney
Immortal Egypt with Joann Fletcher
The Ruth Ellis Files:
A Very British Crime Story
The Prosecutors:
Real Crime and Punishment
A War
Top of the Pops
The High Art of the Low Countries
Art of Spain
This is BBC Four

DISCOVER THE REAL SPAIN
Those looking to explore the real Spain
are being offered tailored trips and tours
that aim to offer something completely
different to those organised by large
tour companies. These, arranged by
local Spanish lady Begona Josa del
Portillo, aim to discover the hidden gems
of Spanish heritage and culture, with
traditional food and wine weaved in for
good measure.
For many years Begona has been an
integral link between the local Spanish
and ex-pat communities offering Spanish
language and Spanish cooking lessons.
It is the popularity of these courses
and the influence of her students that has
led to Begona organising tailored trips
and tours. The next trip organised by
Begona is to Toledo, the province capital
in the autonomous community of Castile–
La Mancha.
Toledo was declared a World Heritage
Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive
monumental and cultural heritage. Toledo
is known as the Imperial City for having

been the main venue of the court of
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and as
the City of the Three Cultures for the
cultural influences of Christians, Muslims
and Jews reflected in its history – and
these religions still live in harmony in the
city today.
It was also the capital of the ancient
Visigothic kingdom of Hispania, which
followed the fall of the Roman Empire,
and the location of historic events such as
the Visigothic Councils of Toledo.
The trip will take place on the 12th and
13th April and the price of 145 euros
includes coach travel, a double room, bed
and breakfast and Begona as a tour guide.
The tour will visit the Mota del Cuervo,
home of the original windmill in Don
Quixote followed by the Esparto Grass
Museum. The busy day will be followed by
a leisurely walk and a traditional dinner in
the evening in Toledo. The following day
includes a panoramic tour of the city
by coach and a private guided tour, in
English, of the Cathedral and Mezquita.

Entrance fees to the above sights are
included in the cost.
Begona said: “I always like to offer
something extra and special; I don’t use
run of the mill hotels, but centrally located
places that reflect the character of the
area and I arrange meals in traditional,
good quality, restaurants used by local
diners. The food and wine is always
excellent and reflects the typical local
cuisine and traditional regional dishes.
I never have more than 20 people booked,
this way the group soon get to know each
other and there is always a great sense of
fun and camaraderie.”
Wine tour
Due to popular demand the next wine
tasting with a difference tour has been
arranged for Wednesday 20th April. The
first tours of 2018 sold out within days
and with so many people calling to book
places more trips are being organised to
avoid disappointment.
The vineyard and wine tasting tours

take place at Bodega Florentino Perez in
La Mancha and they are a day-trips like no
other – and at just 23 euros per person are
excellent value.
Located in La Finca El Cercao and
nestled among its 18 hectares of vineyards and surrounded by a totally natural
environment, the Bodegas Don Florentino
are located between vineyards, with a
large garden and outdoor patio in front of
the impressive main facade.
The tour will begin with a typical
Spanish breakfast en route and before
the afternoon tour, the group will head
to Chinchilla for a morning tour of this
picturesque village courtesy of an official
local guide. You will discover the hidden
gems nestled in this beautiful location

before heading to the bodega.
The group will then begin its extensive
guided tour of the vineyard and wine
producing facilities. The tour will cover all
aspects of wine production from the type
of grape, how it is grown, nurtured and
harvested to the wine making process
and storage.
The group will then experience an eatall-you-can traditional five-course lunch of
typical Spanish fayre, accompanied by
wines of the bodega. There is then the
opportunity to visit the official bodega
store and buy any of the wines produced.
Places for both trips are going quickly,
so please call Begona on 622 188 772 to
book and arrange pick up.
Mireille Toddington

Breakfast
Holding Back the Years
Homes Under the Hammer
The Sheriffs are Coming
Caught Red Handed
Bargain Hunt
BBC News at One
Regional News and Weather
Doctors
A Place to Call Home
Escape to the Country
Coast and Country Auctions
Flog It!
Pointless
BBC News at Six
Regional News and Weather
The One Show
Panorama
DIY SOS the Big Build
Saving the British Bulldog
BBC News at Ten
Regional News and Weather
A Question of Sport
Film 2018
The Artist
Weather for the Week Ahead
BBC News

The Repair Shop
Holding Back the Years
The Sheriffs are Coming
Great British Railway Journeys
Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs
Victoria Derbyshire
BBC Newsroom Live
The Daily Politics
Two Tribes
Yes Chef
Your Home in Their Hands
Planet Earth
Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Eggheads
The Repair Shop
Saving Lives at Sea
World’s Most Extraordinary Homes
The Assassination of Gianni Versace American Crime Story
Live at the Apollo
Newsnight
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
David Attenborough’s Natural
Curiosities
MasterChef
World’s Most Extraordinary Homes
This is BBC Two

Monkey Life
RSPCA Animal Rescue
Motorway Patrol
Road Wars
Warehouse 13
Forever
NCIS: Los Angeles
Hawaii Five-0
NCIS: Los Angeles
Stargate SG-1
The Simpsons
Futurama
The Simpsons
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
A League of Their Own
Bliss
A League of Their Own
The Force: Essex
Ross Kemp: In Search of Pirates
Brit Cops: Frontline Crime
Most Shocking
The Force: Essex
It’s Me or the Dog
Futurama

7.00am

Coronation Street

7.55am

Heartbeat

8.55am

The Royal

E4

Channel 4
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7.20am

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11.05am

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Beyond 100 Days
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Relative of the stalker in Gabriel
murder case has land searched
A property owned by a relative of missing
Gabriel’s mother’s stalker has been
searched in the latest development in
the search for the eight-year-old who
vanished on 27th February whilst walking
to a neighbour’s house.
Diego M. F. A. was arrested just after
the little boy disappeared for tampering
with his electronic tag, meaning the
one worn by Gabriel’s mother, Patricia
Ramírez, would not bleep to warn her if
he was nearby.
He has an injunction preventing him
from approaching her, but has broken this
several times.
Patricia initially ruled out any connection between the stalker and her
son’s having gone missing, although
police have just revealed that they are
searching a plot of land owned by one of
his relatives.
Diego has never had a relationship
with Patricia, who is amicably separated
from Gabriel’s father Ángel Cruz, but the
accused has been obsessed with her and

ITV1
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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018 www.costablancapeople.com

stalked her for over two years.
Gabriel was walking from his grandmother’s house in Las Hortichuelas, near
Níjar, Almería, where he spent weekends
and holidays, to the home of a neighbour,
to play with his friends.
The rural area is said to be very
safe and always full of unaccompanied
children, and Gabriel knew his way
around.
A vest recognised by his father was
found near the Las Negras sewage plant
in Las Hortichuelas and DNA tests have
proven it did in fact belong to Gabriel. But
a search in the plant area did not produce
any clues.
Guardia Civil officers, complete with
divers, sniffer dogs, drones, helicopters
and police horses, have been searching a
12-kilometre radius of the area where
Gabriel vanished.
Gabriel’s parents say they have not
given up hope of finding their son alive,
and have offered a €10,000 reward for any
information leading to his being found.

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presiding judge gave him 12 years for
murder and 9 years for rape.
According to the sentence provided
by the Superior Court of Justice of the
Valencian Community (TSJCV), once the
killer is released from prison he cannot see
his daughter for another ten years, neither
can he see the other child Yolanda had
from a different relationship.
The victim, aged 39, went to sleep and
the accused got a dumbbell, took the

weights off one end and left them on the
other.
He then went to the bedroom and hit
his wife on the head up to 10 times before
sexually assaulting her, according to facts
disclosed by the prosecution.
Afterwards he took a taxi to Murcia
city, where he was arrested two days
later at a house in the neighbourhood of
La Fama.

Channel 5
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7.35am

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10.00am
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2.05pm

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Countdown

4.00pm

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5.00pm

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9.55am

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6.00pm

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10.05am

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7.00pm

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1.10pm

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7.30pm

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1.15pm

GPs: Behind Closed Doors

2.10pm

Access

2.15pm

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8.00pm

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8.30pm

Winter Paralympics Today

2.45pm

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9.00pm

Scruffts: Britain’s Favourite Dog

3.20pm

NCIS

4.15pm

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6.00pm

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6.30pm

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7.00pm

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11.00pm

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9.00pm

The Yorkshire Steam Railway:

10.00pm

Jane Mcdonald and Friends

11.00pm

Will and Grace

11.30pm

Lip Sync Battle UK

12.00am

Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever!

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1.15am

Super Casino

4.10am

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5.00am

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5.45am

House Doctor

6.10am

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6.35am

Wildlife SOS

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8.35am

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BBC 4
8.00pm
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3.25am
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World News Today
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Songs of Ireland
The Irish Rock Story:
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Van Morrison Live at Eden
Top of the Pops
The Irish Rock Story:
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The Beauty of Anatomy
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9.55am

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10.30am

A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun

12.35pm

Four in a Bed

3.10pm

Come Dine with Me

11.00pm
12.00am
12.55am
1.25am
2.25am

ITV3

21 years prison for Orihuela “dumbbell killer”
The Alicante Provincial Court has
condemned Juan Antonio Martínez
Martínez to 21 years in prison for the
rape and murder of his wife, Yolanda
Aniorte Cuenca, in Orihuela in August
2014.
He confessed during the trial that he
used a dumbbell weight from a gym
to kill the mother of his three year old
daughter.
The jury found him guilty and the

Breakfast
Match of the Day
Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights
The Andrew Marr Show
The Big Questions
Sunday Politics
Lifeline
Songs of Praise
BBC News
Match of the Day Live
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BBC News
Regional News and Weather
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Hold the Sunset
Brooklyn
BBC News
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Paddy Mcguinness’ Sport Relief
Warm Up
The Sentinel
Weather for the Week Ahead
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Coast
The Instant Gardener
Gardeners’ World
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Saturday Kitchen Best Bites
Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge
Lorraine Pascale: How to be a Better
Cook
Escape to the Country
The Ladykillers: Pest Detectives
Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago
Money for Nothing
World’s Most Extraordinary Homes
Back in Time for Tea
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Famously Unfit for Sports Relief
The Mash Report
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Being Blacker
Question Time
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on Earth
Andrew Marr on Churchill
13 Minutes: The Plot to Assassinate
Adolf Hitler
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on Earth
Andrew Marr on Churchill
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1.10pm

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Inconceivable

7.00pm

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9.00pm

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11.40pm

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Custody
Monster Family: Special

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Beyond 100 Days
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A History of Art in Three Colours
The Art of Spain

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11.00pm
12.00am

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5.50pm

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7.55pm

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3.40pm

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8.55pm

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5.50pm

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10.00pm

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11.00pm

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8.00pm

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12.05am

24 Hours in a and e

9.00pm

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11.00pm

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2.05am

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1.05am

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8 Out of 10 Cats

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www.costablancapeople.com CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Bars & Restaurants

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Bars & Restaurants

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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www.costablancapeople.com CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Bars & Restaurants

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Bars & Restaurants

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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Bars & Restaurants

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www.costablancapeople.com CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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Bars & Restaurants

Eating out
Spanish are eating out more – and
particularly at more foreign
restaurants, particularly Italian,
which seems to be a favourite.
The locals are eating out more
and this means they are spending
more and, best of all, they are
widening their palate.
In good news for expat
restaurateurs,
the
average
Spaniard ate out 158 times last
year, an increase of 1.3 percent on
2016. The biggest winners are
restaurants serving fast food, and
in particular Italian restaurants.
While the largest increase is
trips out for breakfast and lunch,
at the weekends punters are

spending more on ‘a la carte’
restaurants.
According to market research
company NPD, total sales in the
catering sector reached a record
€3.6 Billion in sales last year, an
increase of 2.5 percent on 2016.
It is the third consecutive year
of growth in the sector with the
number of restaurant visits
reaching 98 million.
Each customer spent an
average of €4.88 per trip, a rise of
1 percent on last year.
At the beginning of the
financial crisis the first thing that
was hit were breakfasts out,” said
NPD Spain boss Vicente

Montesinos.
“But with the economic
recovery we are seeing an
increase in the number of people
eating out… and more jobs being
created.”
Fast food restaurants, tapas
bars and coffee bars are the main
driving force behind the growth,
representing 86 percent of the
increase.

Bar tried to ban ‘noisy children’
A bar in central Salamanca has
been forced to take down a notice
which warns customers that if
children throw tantrums or cause
a nuisance, they will be asked to
leave the premises.
The Livingstone, in the Plaza de
la Libertad, states that children
must remain with their parents 'at
all times' and 'not separate
themselves' from their adult
companions, and must not play
with toys 'except mobile phones
or video game consoles', babies'
nappies must be changed 'outside
the toilets', and kids 'must not play'
in the building.
Parents are instructed that
children 'must walk, not run' inside
the bar and that if kids 'cry, scream
or create noise that could
constitute a nuisance to other
customers', their parents or

guardians must 'remove the child
from the premises until they cease
to do so'.
A flood of furious comments on
social media, however, meant the
Livingstone has felt morally
obliged to take the sign down.
“Thanks to you and your
comments, we've realised we were
in the wrong and will immediately
remove the sign from our
premises,” the Livingstone said on
Twitter.
“We wish to apologise to
anyone who may have felt
offended.
“Children are always welcome –
in fact, our manager has three
small children and has had to take
them off the premises several
times to calm them down.”
Elsewhere, however, comments
online have called it 'shameful'

that the bar has been 'forced' to
remove its sign, saying many bar
customers in general would
welcome 'not having to put up
with
noisy,
badly-behaved
children' and that many parents
whose kids throw tantrums in
public premises would normally
take them outside as a matter of
course so as not to disturb
everyone else.

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

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Clampdown on wholemeal
bread labels

A new law covering wholemeal
bread could mean shoppers have
to check labels thoroughly to see
exactly what they are buying.
Many brands of bread claiming
to be 'wholemeal' are in fact
manufactured with refined white
flour, but with a handful of wheat,
rye or barley bran thrown in – and
few, if any, loaves are made with
completely wholemeal flour.
At present, Spanish law defines
wholemeal bread as that which
has been made 'with wholemeal
flour', but does not specify the
percentage of this type of flour
which must be used.
'Wholemeal flour' is defined as
the result of cereal grains being
ground up and of which 'the
composition corresponds with
that of the wholegrain cereal

grain'. But again, it does not state
what percentage of the
wholegrain should be present in
it.
This creates a legal loophole
which allows bread, biscuits and
other grain-based products to be
legitimately labelled as 'made
with 100 percent wholemeal
flour', when in practice, the
amount of '100 percent
wholemeal flour' used is
negligible.
For this reason, the ministry of
food, agriculture and the
environment is seeking to abolish
the 34-year-old law covering
wholemeal bread – Royal Decree,
or Bill of Law number 1137 of 23rd
May, 1984 – and create a new one
'adapted to current market
demands' and aiming to 'provide

sufficient information to the
consumer to enable him or her to
make informed choices'.
A draft of the new law, due out
later this year, states that bread
will be either labelled as '100
percent wholemeal bread' or
simply 'wholemeal bread' only if it
is made exclusively with
wholemeal flour.
Where processed or refined
flour, malted flour or standard
white flour is used in part, bread
must be labelled as 'made with X
percent wholemeal flour'.
The ministry is working on the
new text at present, but it is not
clear exactly when the law will
come into force or how long
manufacturers will have to adapt
to the change in legislation.

English gin with a Valencian twist
Spanish gin drinkers were amongst the
earliest pioneers of the gin craze that is
sweeping the world. It was in Spain that
an English Gin, now one of the
fastest-growing super-premium
gins in the world, first began to
take off.
Brockmans Gin, known as the
‘gin like no other’ is a gin of
distinction in terms of quality and
of taste. Once tried, it is not readily
forgotten.
Brockmans was created by cofounders Neil Everett (CEO) and
Bob Fowkes (Marketing
Director) whohad
a
passion for gin and a
vision for something
unique.This gin is full of
surprises.
Brockmans is a 40%
ABV super-premium gin
distilled in the heart of
England using quality
botanicals from around
the world. The overriding flavour profile that
make Brockmans so
unique is derived from
an intriguing and unique
bond of flavours. The top
note
of
Bulgarian
coriander
has
an
aromatic, gingery orange
flavour, which marries
beautifully with the
softer, more rounded
harmonies of blueberries
and blackberries and the
bottom note created by
Juniper berries from
Tuscany. This inspired
combination, together
with the dry, bitter-sweet
peel
of
Valencian

oranges, elongates the deeper tones
and serve to give Brockmans an
intensely smooth, beautiful taste.
Brockmans
Gin
is
packaged in stylish and
tactile black glass so it
looks as good as it tastes.
It sells at many of the
world’s
top
bars,
restaurants and hotels and
is enormously popular in
Spain where it has been
one of the fastest-growing
gin brands.
Delicious as a
classic G&T or gin
martini,
Brockmans Gin
also lends itself
to an array of
cocktails.
To
make a Perfect
Serve
Brockmans
Brockmans Gin
& Tonic with a
Pink Grapefruit
Twist
•
Pour
Brockmans Gin
over large ice
cubes in a
chilled glass
• Add good
quality, chilled
tonic water
• Add a twist
of
pink
grapefruit peel
• Finish with a
garnish of fresh
blueberries.
It came as a
surprise to us,

but apparently gin is a delicious
accompaniment to foods and also
works well as a food ingredient.
Roast butternut squash &
Brockmans Gin risotto with Taleggio
created by Chef, Duncan Impey, of
The Club at One Alfred Place, London
Serves 2. Heat the oven to 180o
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut
into thin wedges
sprigs of rosemary
few sprigs of thyme
1 banana shallot – fine diced
200 gms Carnaroli risotto rice
1 clove garlic, crushed.
1 small bay leaf
50 ml Brockmans Gin
60gms butter
splash of olive oil
500 ml vegetable stock – kept hot
90 gms Taleggio cheese (or
Camembert)
Chopped fresh herbs - flat leaf
parsley, chopped chervil and chopped
tarragon (a pinch of each)
80 gms freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
salt and pepper
Method
1. Mix the butternut squash with
some of the thyme and all the rosemary
leaves, sprinkle with olive oil, and roast
in the oven for 8 minutes. When tender
but still firm, remove from the oven and
set aside.
2. Place half the butter (30gms) in a
pan with a splash of olive oil. Dice and
chill the rest of the butter for later.
3. Add the diced shallots and cook for
5-6 minutes.
4. Add the rice to the pan and gently
toast it with the shallot for 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5. Pour in the Brockmans Gin,
standing well back as it will flambe.
Cook until the liquid reduced by half.
Add the bayleaf.
6. Gradually add the hot
stock a ladleful at a time,
stirring the rice mixture with
a wooden spatula and
adding further stock, a
ladleful at a time, until the
rice is done.
7. Once cooked, gently add
the butternut squash and the
cold diced butter and mix
taking care not to break up
the squash.
8. Add most of the
parmesan and all the
Taleggio chees and stir.
Remove the bayleaf.
9. Garnish with the
chopped fresh herbs. Add
salt and pepper.
10. Drizzle with olive oil
and finish with a sprinkling of
the remaining Parmesan.
11. Pour a Brockmans Gin
and enjoy...
Chef’s tips
• Always use a wooden or a
plastic spatula for risotto –
metal implements break up
the rice.
• Ensure the stock is hot as
you add it.
• If you want to prepare
ahead, the risotto can be
cooked for 9 minutes (up to
part-way through stage 6);
placed in a cold fridge; and
then reheated and finished
for a further 5 minutes or
until done.
• The butternut squash can
be cooked earlier in the day

and refrigerated until needed.
• Don’t add the salt until the end – it
prevents the rice cooking properly.

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Health & Beauty

53

Spring allergies
With spring just around the corner,
many allergy sufferers will be braced for
a season of discomfort and suffering, as
pollen count increases.
Around 35 percent of the population
will be affected by one form of allergy at
some stage in their lives, and this figure
is even higher in children, with 50
percent suffering from an allergy.
Hay fever is one of the most common
allergies, affecting around 25 percent of
the population, with most allergic to
grass pollen. This means that spring and
summer can be difficult for those with
this allergy during pollen season.
Other common allergies come from
dust mites, mould spores and pet
dander, which can trigger different
reactions, from respiratory reactions like
asthma to eczema skin reactions. The
intensity of the response varies from
person to person.
Spring is beautiful, but it's also a key
time of year for seasonal allergies. As
plants release pollen, millions of people
with hay fever start to sniffle and
sneeze.
There's no cure but you can take
steps to curb springtime allergies, from
medication to household habits.
Causes
The biggest spring allergy trigger is
pollen. Trees, grasses, and weeds release
these tiny grains into the air to fertilize
other plants. When they get into the
nose of someone who’s allergic, they
send the body's defences haywire.
The immune system mistakenly sees
the pollen as a danger and releases
antibodies that attack the allergens.
That leads to the release of chemicals
called histamines into the blood.
Histamines trigger the runny nose, itchy
eyes, and other symptoms that are all
too familiar if you have allergies.

This means that chirping birds aren’t
the only thing heard in the coming
spring months. More than 50 million will
be sneezing and wheezing thanks to
seasonal allergies. And according to the
American College of Allergy, Asthma
and Immunology (ACAAI), early spring
temperatures mean allergy symptoms
will be intense and last longer than
average.
Relief might seem impossible as
pollen counts soar, but by knowing
what triggers symptoms and how to
avoid these allergens, sufferers can lead
healthy, active lifestyles with minimal
side effects. Although symptoms may
not always be severe, seasonal allergies
are a serious condition that should be
properly diagnosed and treated.
While there are common rules to live
by in the spring, such as keeping your
windows closed, there are lesser known
spring allergy elements that can cause
you more misery. To help those with
seasonal allergies cope this spring,
ACAAI has put together the following
list of surprising spring allergy facts.
• One Pollen, Two Pollen, Three Pollen,
More - Every year is labelled as the worst
for allergy symptoms, and there could
be some truth to that. According to a
recent study published in the Annals of
Allergy, Asthma and Immunology,
pollen counts slowly rise annually and
are expected to double by the year
2040. This is due to economic growth,
global environment sustainability,
temperature and human-induced
changes, such as increased levels of
carbon dioxide. By making an
appointment with your doctor in
January or February, you'll be well on
your way to relief before symptoms
start.
• Home Sweet, Hay Fever - Where you

live can determine the severity of
suffering you may feel, but no matter
where you live, allergies can be a
problem all year long. ACAAI
recommends speaking with your boardcertified allergist about treatment
options and for tips on how to eliminate
allergy triggers in your home
environment.
• Treat Before you Sneeze - Taking
your allergy medication should be done
well before the first sneeze. Allergists
recommend you begin treating two
weeks before your symptoms typically
surface. While there isn't a cure for
spring allergies, there is something
close. Immunotherapy, also known as
allergy shots, can modify and prevent
disease progression. Track your
symptoms and find relief with the
MyNasalAllergyJournal.org
• Pollens and Molds and Weeds, Oh
My! - A mild winter may cause an early
release of pollens from certain trees,
and a longer season may be worsened
by the priming effect. Once allergy
sufferers are exposed to this early
pollen, their immune system is primed
to react to the allergens, meaning there
will be little relief even if temperatures
cool down before spring is in full bloom.
If weather reports call for a streak of
warm days, begin taking your
medication.
• April Showers Bring More Symptoms
- Not only will April's showers bring
more flowers, it might also cause more
symptoms for spring allergy sufferers.
Rain can promote plant and pollen
growth. Wind accompanying a rainfall
can stir pollen and mold into the air, also
heightening symptoms. Allergists
advise sufferers to know which pollens
they are sensitive to and then check
pollen counts. In spring and summer,

during tree and grass pollen season,
levels are highest in the evening. In late
summer and early fall, during ragweed
pollen season, levels are highest in the
morning.
Here’s some top tips on relieving the
symptoms caused from a variety of
allergies to make your spring much
happier...
1. Check the pollen count every day
so you can plan your life around this.
2. When the count is high, do not dry
laundry outside as pollen can stick to
your clothes.
3. If you have outdoor activities in
mind, then do them after a rain shower.
This is when pollen count will be at its
lowest.
4. As soon as you get home, change
your clothes so you do nottransfer
pollen from outside all over the house.
5. Rather than wait for spring to carry
out your spring clean, do it just before
so you don't have to deal with hay fever
and dust at the same time.
6. Clean mould in the bathroom
regularly to avoid the spread of mould
spores.
7. Good ventilation is key in removing
allergens so make sure the bathroom
and kitchen are well aired to help
remove excess moisture.
8. When levels of damp are lower,
there are less mould spores and dust
mites. You can buy a dehumidifier to
reduce moisture levels in your home.
9. It's important to get a good night's
sleep and have a bedroom as free from
allergens as possible. Air purifiers can
provide relief from these allergens.
Natural remedies
Many people unnecessarily suffer
from seasonal allergies when a few
simple remedies can offer a lot of allergy
relief:

Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an age old
remedy that is often recommended for
a variety of health conditions. The
theory is that its ability to reduce
mucous production and cleanse the
lymphatic system makes it useful for
allergies.
Quercetin
Quercetin is a natural bioflavonoid
that is said to help stabilise mast cells to
keep them from releasing histamine. It
is also a potent antioxidant that is said
to help reduce inflammation. It is best
used as a long term remedy and many
people start taking it about 4-6 weeks
before allergy season to help prevent
allergy symptoms.
Nettle Leaf
Nettle leaf is another natural
antihistamine that can be very effective
as it naturally blocks the body’s ability
to produce histamine. It grows in many
places and can be made in to a tincture
or tea, but for allergy relief, capsules
made from dried nettle leaves are the
easiest and most effective option.
Probiotics
Allergies are the result of an
imbalance in the immune system that
causes the body to react too strongly to
a stimuli. New research links the
presence of beneficial bacteria in the
gut with reduced incidence of allergies.
Local Honey
The theory is that consuming local
honey from where you live will help
your body adapt to the allergens in the
local natural environment there. This is
supposed to work like a natural allergy
“shot” and doesn’t seem to have a
downside it terms of side effects.

54

Bars & Restaurants

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

Win a psychic reading with TV
medium Alison Wynne-Ryder
If you love all things magical and would
like to learn more about how you can
develop your intuition, how to connect
with angel energy or understand more
about the spirit world in general - look no
further than our columnist and psychic
guru, Alison Wynne-Ryder who is
affectionately known as 'The Quirky
Medium', which is also the title of her
award winning book.
Alison moved to Spain just over three
years ago and has built up an excellent
rapport with clients and students alike.
Alison says "I love it when people come to
me through word of mouth - you can't
have better recommendation than that!"
Well, she must be doing something right
then!
Alison is a Clairvoyant Medium,
offering one to one psychic readings as
well as being a popular platform medium
where she gives messages from spirit to
audience members.
She has been practicing Reiki for over
18 years and as a Reiki Master/Teacher,
she attunes others so they can become
Reiki Practitioners themselves. She is also
an Angelic Reiki Master whereby she
empowers recipients through angelic
initiations, cleansings and practical
information so they may be able to merge
with the Angelic Kingdom of Light.
Alison works from home in Benimar
where she has her own practice "The
Lighthouse Healing Sanctuary". Here, she
teaches Psychic Development, and holds
beautiful angel workshops as well as
offering her healing modalities.
Over the years, Alison has added to her
repertoire of spiritual work. Some may
recognise her as one half of the ghost
busting team Rescue Mediums - which is
a reality show about helping
homeowners who are experiencing

unexplained and often very frightening
phenomenon in their homes. The Rescue
Mediums find out who is haunting the
property and after picking up clues
through their psychic antenna they send
the stuck spirit to the light by performing
a Spirit Rescue. Sounds easy? Well it isn't!
You can see it for yourself for free on
YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx
dWonOLQClEFhFSWQlFHXg
There is no question that Alison lives
and breathes her love of spirit and the
angels which she enjoys sharing with
others. She says "Seeing someone's face
light up either through messages they
receive from spirit or when they develop
in class is why I do what I do. I have the
best 'job' in the world.
If you'd like to see more of Alison's
work, or follow what she's up to, check
out
her
website
@
www.discovertheangels.com follow her
on Twitter @ rescuemediumali or on

Facebook you can 'like' her Quirky
Medium page or ask to be added to
events page, The Lighthouse Healing
Sanctuary.
WIN A FREE READING, OR A SIGNED
COPY OF ALISON'S BOOK!
All you have to do is answer this very
simple question!
• What is the name of the TV show that
Alison co-hosted?
1st prize is a free reading with Alison or,
if you prefer, a free place on one of her
forthcoming Angel Workshops.
2nd prize - A signed copy of Alison's
Book
The Competition will run for the month
of March and the winner will be
announced live on Facebook!
Good luck to everyone, and remember,
you have to be in it to win it!
Send
your
entries
to
office@costablancapeople.com before
March 28th at 4pm.

PP hopes to increase minimum
marriage age
Spain’s government wants to increase the
minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18
years of age after learning that more than
800 minors became husbands or wives
between 2013 and 2016.
The reigning right-wing PP party,
which is in a minority, has asked the
mostly-left wing opposition to support its

proposal,
which
in-line
with
recommendations by the United Nations
and other international organisations
working for the protection of women and
children.
Like in the UK and in many other
western countries, a 16-year-old can
legally take the major decision to get

married – and yet cannot even vote in a
local or general election.
And in Spain, 16- and 17-year-olds are
considered 'children' in every sense –
tourists of this age, although technically
adults in other EU countries, would be
taken into care if found unaccompanied
in the country, and although the
minimum age for sexual consent in Spain
is 16, a girl of 16 or 17 who becomes
pregnant would normally spark an
inquiry into her family situation.
The PP stresses it does not want to
'limit rights' of men and women aged 16
and 17, but seeks to 'guarantee their full
development as adults' before they 'take
actions that could potentially change
their present and future completely'.
Their aim is to 'protect minors above
and beyond anyone else' in situations
where a 'power imbalance' may be
present. Amendments to Spain's
childhood and adolescence protection
system in 2015 made it the first country
in the world to put minors' interests in
priority position and provide them with
substantial rights and procedures to be
followed where these are breached.
In the last year, the age of consent for
sexual relations has been lifted to 16 from
just 13 years of age, and forced marriage
has been categorised as a criminal
offence, whatever the age of the victim.
One in three girls in developing
countries are aged under 18 when they
marry, and even in Spain, 807 'children'
got married over the four years until the
end of 2016, or approximately 202 per
year.The PP argues that if a person has to
be 18 or more to vote, learn to drive or
actually drive a car, drink alcohol, smoke
or buy cigarettes, he or she should also be
at least that age before being able to get
married.

www.costablancapeople.com

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Exercise really is the best medicine
This week came more evidence that
regular exercise really is the best
medicine: avid cyclists as old as 79 had
healthy muscle and immune function as
good as people 30 years younger who did
not exercise. This will be music to the ears
of the Costa Blanca’s retired population –
many of whom take advantage of their
free time and the climate to take up
cycling as a serious hobby.
Researchers in the UK tested the
muscles and immune systems of a group
of middle-aged and elderly cyclists and

compared them to younger people who
do not exercise regularly.
The cyclists were healthier, both in
terms of their muscles and their immune
systems, than middle-aged couch
potatoes.
But they also looked as healthy,
biologically, as a group of people aged
20 to 36 who did not exercise, the team
reported in the journal Aging Cell.
“It really tells us that staying
physically active all of your adult life can
prevent much of what we think of as

aging, including immune aging,” said
Janet Lord, who directs the Institute of
Inflammation and Ageing at the
University of Birmingham.
They worked with a group of 125
male and female cyclists aged 55 to 79,
who regularly cycled long distances —
35 to 60 miles in a day at a fairly rapid
clip.
They compared them to 75 people
their own age who did not exercise and
also to 55 young adults aged 20 to 36
who didn’t exercise.

Health & Beauty

55

56

Bars & Restaurants

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

www.costablancapeople.com

Quirónsalud investigates
personalised cancer treatment
Personalised vaccines, the study of genes,
and a multidisciplinary focus improve
results and increase survival rates, as an
alternative to conventional methods
Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja has
opened a Clean Room, designed to meet
the international standards for quality
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices),
and intended for the preparation of
medicine for advanced therapies, such as
tumour cell vaccines.
The medical team from
the Oncology platform
at Hospital Quirónsalud
Torrevieja, is part of the
Chair
of
multidisciplinary
Oncology at the UCAM
(Catholic University of
Murcia), and is led by Doctor Antonio
Brugarolas. The team has started the
manufacturing of dentritic cells made
with the patient’s own blood, which has
had positive results for treating metastatic
prostate cancer. “As well as working on
this type of cancer, the future plans for the
Clean Room include obtaining vaccines
to treat patients with skin and breast
cancer”, explains Doctor Juan José Mata,
specialist in immunology at Hospital
Quirónsalud Torrevieja.
New technology based on the study
of genes
Following in the line of work of
personalized treatment to fight cancer,
Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja is
initiating a Next Generation Sequencer to
find out how each tumour behaves by
studying the DNA and RNA in patients

that are resistant to conventional
chemotherapy. “It means we can look for
genetic alterations of DNA in all tumours.
Up until now 20% of patients had DNA
mutations which were treatable, and
hopefully now that percentage will
increase” highlights Doctor Brugarolas. In
addition, he explains that not only do
they aim to detect the mutations that are
treatable to administer the correct

treatment, but also they want to know
how the cells react to the mutations, that
way they can visualize how the cell adapts
and predict the chemotherapy that is best
for each tumour.
This new technology implies that the
patient only needs one biopsy and they
get the results back in just two weeks. In
addition it gives the patient a choice
between different treatments depending
on the costs, the side effects, the method
of intake, and the patient’s preferences
meaning that the methodis personalized.
On average 600 genes are studied in just
one test which is more reliable than
conventional chemotherapy, and can
predict which are the best drugs to fight
the cancer. Although the treatment still
needs to be perfected, Doctor Brugarolas
concludes “By analysing a patient’s RNA,

their response to chemotherapy
treatment can be predicted with 70%
accuracy”.
A high resolution multidisciplinary
concept
The oncology platform at Hospital
Quirónsalud Torrevieja is composed of a
multidisciplinary team of more than 30
top level specialists, and state of the art
technology such as PET-CT, intraoperative
radiotherapy (mobetrón),
personalized
pharmacotherapy, genetic
counselling, or the Clean
Room; which have made it
an international centre of
reference for diagnosis
and cancer treatment,
visited by patients from
Spain and Europe.
TheChair of multidisciplinary Oncology
at the UCAM and Quirónsalud Torrevieja
have worked together for several years, to
develop research which later has been
put to practice at the Hospital, such as the
HIPEC technique which consists in
applying
chemotherapy
with
hyperthermia inside the abdomen during
surgery. This technique which has been
applied at the Oncology platform at
Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja for over
15 years, has recently been introduced in
most major hospitals in Spain. After many
years of research, it has proven to be 30%
effective in patients with peritoneal
carcinomatosis, and is accepted in the
scientific communityas being the best
alternative for metastatic peritoneal
ovarian or colon cancer.

www.costablancapeople.com

Puzzle Page

CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

57

CROSSWORD

sudoku

logic puzzle
Logic puzzles require
the solver to deduce
the relationships
between different
people, places and
things based on a
limited number of
clues given in the
puzzle.

cryptic
Remember: every item on the board
belongs to one and only one person,
no item will ever be shared. Using only the
clues provided and simple deductive logic
and reasoning, fill in the grid with Xs
and Os to determine the solution.

ACROSS
1. Right at the back of a floater (4)
3. Be a true sportsman when the drama
isn't bad (4,4)
9. Largely where art may be displayed (7)
10. Beneath some newly found errors (5)
11. It is worn while performing secretarial
services (8,4)
13. Disclaim over 500 put in the ground (6)
15. Resident directly concerned with final
chess move? (6)
17. Unobstructed way in means not
having to pay to get in (8,4)
20. Until this part shows the fineness of

the soil (5)
21. Elevator with no earthly connection?
(7)
22. Become disconcerted and organise a
group? (3,5)
23. Agreed again out when old (4)
DOWN
1. For example one cried out about killing
king (8)
2. Such fleas can't be real! (5)
4. A manly sort of person - not an expert
(6)
5. Having the pulse of those not very old?

(5,2,5)
6. Road ran in small state (7)
7. In this order a red cloak is uncommon
(4)
8. Lived up to adoration strongly
opposed by someone in 11 (5,7)
12. Sit and tease out in bed (2,6)
14. Distinguishing feature of later as
opposed to latter vest (7)
16. Anger a green reformer (6)
18. Regretting I get in step (5)

SOLUTIONS 726

Solution for Logic Puzzle
Kimusk
Aldeton

1000 AD

Uskorr

750 AD

Sameos

500 AD

Ryat

250 AD

8,000
9,500
6,500
7,500
9,000

Valencia
New Liberty
Howland
Waterloo
Floris

Sudoku Solution

1250 AD

1. The culture located near Howland was founded sometime before the culture
located near New Liberty..
2. The society founded in 250 AD had a population size of 9,000..
3. The Kimusk culture didn't have a population size of 7,500..
4. Neither the society founded in 1250 AD nor the culture with 7,500 people was
the Uskorr culture..
5. The Ryat culture was based near Floris..
6. The Uskorr culture was either the culture founded in 750 AD or the culture
founded in 1000 AD..
7. Neither the society founded in 1250 AD nor the culture with 7,500 people was
the Aldeton culture..
8. Of the culture with 9,500 people and the Uskorr culture, one was founded in
1000 AD and the other was based near Howland..
9. The Ryat culture didn't have a population size of 7,500..
10. The culture founded in 750 AD had a population size of 6,500..
11. The culture located near Valencia had a population size of 8,000..

Jim via email asks:
Hello Aunty. After a recent Skype
update I was unable to access Skype
from my desktop shortcut. I
uninstalled and tried to reinstall but
although it seemed to do all the right
things on download, there’s a notice
on screen saying “unable to access
download server”. I have contacted
Skype help and they wanted to
remotely access my computer but I
said no to that. Can you help?
Aunty Says:
Hello Jim. If you go to the Skype
website and download the latest
Skype for Windows this should
guarantee a fresh install with the very
latest version. If this fails then there
may be some remnants of an
unsuccessful previous install that is
causing problems. There are some free
uninstaller programs that go beyond
the normal Windows “Uninstall a
Program” so let me know if the above
works.
Glen via email asks:
Hi Aunty. Is there any way I can
tell if there is anybody using my
internet? I am with Ole but there
always seems to be a lot of activity on
my router’s lights even after I have
turned off my laptop.
Aunty Says:
Hi Glen. I’ve always used a
program called Wireless Net Watcher
from www.nirsoft.net and found one
of my visiting neighbors’ had hacked
my Wi-Fi password and was helping
themselves to my ADSL. How they
hacked my Wi-Fi password I will never
know but to stop this happening again
I’ve got into the habit of regularly
changing my Wi-Fi password via the
routers control panel. If you’re not sure

exactly how to do this let me know and
I will send you instructions.
Mary via email asks:
My laptop recently tried to
upgrade itself to the latest
Windows10 but it kept going around
in a loop so I had to restore it to
factory settings. It let me copy all of
my personal files and photos music
onto a 64GB USB stick but now I can’t
seem to open any of the documents
as all the writing is total jibberish.The
photos seem OK though.
Aunty Says:
Not too sure about this Mary but it
could be that you are trying to open
these files with the wrong program.
Maybe you had Open Office or Word
on your laptop before you did a
factory restore?
Nick from Torrevieja asks:
Hello there Aunty. I have a few

www.costablancapeople.com

questions about Windows 10 that I
am sure you will be able to answer.
What is the minimum amount of
RAM needed for it to run
satisfactorily? Is it straightforward
and 'user friendly' when operated
without a touch-sensitive screen?
Will the various games programs I
have downloaded with Windows 7
(for the grandchildren, of course...)
still work? Thanking you in
anticipation.
Aunty Says:
Hello Nick. I would suggest a
minimum of 2GB of memory. It is very
user friendly and can be tweaked to
look somewhat like Windows 7 and all
your Win7 games will work fine.
Well that’s all for this week, email me
your problems to
auntyvirus@costablancapeople.com
and I will see what I can do.

3 Bed, 3 Bath Villa
In Ciudad Quesada,
Costa Blanca

3 Bed, 3 Bath Villa
In Villamartin,
Alicante

3 Bed, 2 Bath Apartment
In Torre De La Horadada,
Alicante

2 Bed, 2 Bath Apartment
In Almoradi,
Alicante

SSP20/4857

SSP01/VILGOL

SSP03/CM6178

SSP59/ARE1221

274,000€

299,900€

120,000€

55,000€

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CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

59

60
CostaBlancaPeople 13th - 19th March 2018

Five School Bus Drivers
Tested Positive for Drugs
During the latest campaign
checking the safety requirements
of school buses, more than 3,500
vehicles were checked, with five
drivers testing positive for drugs,
and a further 9 drivers reported
for driving in excess of the
maximum permitted speed.
During the five-day campaign,
a total of 3,557 vehicles were
checked by officers of the Guardia
Civil, supported by colleagues
from local police forces, resulting
in 1,416 offences being reported,
mainly due to administrative
irregularities. A lack of special
school transport authorisation
and unlimited liability insurance
continue to be the most
numerous irregularities amongst
the controlled vehicles.
According to Gregorio Serrano,

Director General of the DGT, “the
habitual consumption of drugs by
one part of society, has a direct
reflection on drivers, many of
them are behind the wheel after
having consumed some type of
substances as noted in the
controls performed by agents on
the road. From the DGT we will
continue
increasing
these
controls, putting a special
emphasis on professional drivers”.
Whilst checking the vehicles,
the officers found that of those
vehicles with seatbelts fitted, 8
had anomalies in their operation.
A total of 81 vehicles had
deficiencies in the service and
emergency doors, as well as in
their drive devices, and another
16 were reported for not having
their ITV inspection certificates

and documentation.
Regarding the administrative
offences, 1,024 vehicles lacked the
special authorisation to operate
as a school transport vehicle, and
338 did not have unlimited
liability insurance, as required by
law.
In addition, 104 controlled
vehicles did not carry the
corresponding V-10 school
transport signal and another 24
lacked the luminous device with
emergency signal.
Finally, as regards the excess of
driving time or reduction of rest,
17 drivers were denounced for
this reason and another 30 for not
taking a person in charge of the
care of the minors on board the
coach, when this was the case.

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CAR OF THE WEEK

61
CostaBlancaPeople 13th-19th March 2018

Junctions
A road junction is a location where
multiple roads intersect, allowing
vehicular traffic to change from one road
to another.
Priority
The notion of “priority” refers to the
passage of vehicles and which vehicles
are allowed to move through junctions
and roadways first. In modern terms, we
refer to priority in a similar manner to how
the phrase “right of way” was once used,
but in a time of shared space and multiple
different uses for roads and vehicles, to
which nobody has a “right” to be on the
roads over any other vehicle, it is
acknowledged that drivers do have to
“give way” to other road users and so we
not only replace the terminology but also
the notion of how traffic flows.
The driver of a vehicle that has to give
way to another must not initiate or
continue a manoeuvre across a junction
in the event of that manoeuvre causing a
hazard by forcing the other vehicle to
deviate from its speed, course or
direction.
Unmarked Crossings
When no signs, signals or road
markings indicating priority are present
at a junction, drivers must give way to
approaching vehicles from their right,
irrespective of the type of vehicle that it
is, including cycles, horse and carts,
agricultural vehicles, cars, buses and
trucks, except in the following cases:
In the event of movement from an
unpaved road to a paved road, the
vehicles on the paved road have priority.
Vehicles running on rails have priority
over all other road users.
At roundabouts, vehicles on the
roundabout have priority over those
wishing to enter it.
Vehicles traveling on a motorway have
priority over those seeking to access the
highway.
Signalled Junctions
Drivers of vehicles approaching a
junction controlled by an officer of official
controlling traffic must stop their vehicles
when ordered. The instructions of officials
controlling junctions overrule the signs.
The driver of a vehicle approaching a
junction controlled by traffic lights must
stop their vehicle in order to give way
when indicated by a red of flashing yellow
light.
Road signs P-1, which are formed of
pictograms enclosed in a red triangle
warn of a junction ahead, indicate the
priority through that junction by means
of the larger, bolder arrowed line.
Road sign P-2, which is formed of an “x”
type cross in a red triangle warns of a
junction where the general rule offers

priority to vehicles approaching from the
right.
At junctions where road markings
indicate the need to give way or to stop
and give way, drivers passing through
that junction on the major road in either
direction have priority through the
junction.
Irrespective of the priority through a
junction, no vehicle is permitted to enter
any junction or pedestrian crossing unless

the exit from the junction or crossing is
clear.
Some junctions are protected by
yellow boxes which dictate the same,
although the rule applies irrespective of
the presence of such a feature that a
junction must not be blocked by any
vehicle unless the exit from that junction
is clear and the only thing impeded the
egress is the flow of traffic crossing its
path.

62
CostaBlancaPeople 13th-19th March 2018

How to Deal with Mobile Phones May
Priority Vehicles Improve Road Safety
Emergency vehicle which are responding
to an incident have priority over other
vehicles.
During any drive we must be forever
conscious of our surroundings, allowing
all of our senses to combine to provide
special and location awareness, so that
we can constantly react to changes as
they happen, or, ideally, prompting
situations and proactively preparing for
these changes.
The security services such as the police
and Guardia Civil, and rescue services
such as the fire service or ambulances are
to be given a clear run when they have
their lights flashing or sirens sounding, so
long as this can be done safely. If we hear
sirens or see emergency vehicles with
flashing lights, our first reaction should be
to make way, but in as safe a way as
possible.
On a clear and open road, if you are
aware that a priority vehicle is
approaching from behind, move over to
a position which will allow the emergency
vehicle to pass. It may be useful to
indicate so that the driver of the
emergency vehicle is aware of your
intention. Carry out the manoeuvre
without rushing, panicking or with any
sudden
movements.
Once
the
emergency vehicle has passed, you may
continue on your way.
In the event of a queue of traffic of two
lanes, the emergency vehicle will attempt
to cut a path through the middle, so that
vehicles on both sides are able to move to
the side and allow for a safe passage.
At junctions or intersections, vehicles

should pull over to the side to allow the
emergency vehicles to pass. Do not
attempt to cross the path of an oncoming
priority vehicle.
If you are on a roundabout when an
emergency vehicle approaches, give way
to the priority vehicle where possible and
safe, allowing it to pass freely.
Never attempt to follow an emergency
vehicle and never pull out in front of
them, always stay well clear and well
back, without carrying out any sudden
movements, remembering to move over
where safe and possible.
In the event of approaching an
emergency scene, pay close attention to
those who are directing traffic, acting on
their instructions and directions. Always
pass the scene giving as much space as
possible and always pay close attention
to the traffic and the situation, never
letting curiosity get the better of you and
distract you when you pass.
The DGT has created a series of short
videos which show the correct procedure
for each of the circumstances listed, they
can be viewed on the DGT website, dgt.es
Priority vehicles save lives, always allow
them safe passage where possible.

A team of researchers at the Universidad
PolitĂŠcnica de Madrid have been
working on a project whereas rather
than leading to potentially deadly
distractions, a mobile phone can help
road safety by advising drivers of safer
speeds.
The technology behind intelligent
speed adaptation systems (ISA) has
been around since the 90s, mostly
aimed at warning drivers who exceed
the speed limit. In theory, the
technology can also be used to block
the functions of the mobile and even
prevent use when driving, although this
part of the system has seemingly not
been welcomed by many, despite the

obvious safety benefits.
Through this latest development of
the system, the researchers in Madrid
have been developing ways that the
technology can identify other hazards
which may need speed adjustment,
such as bends, the camber of the road,
the elevation etc, and even take into
account the meteorological conditions,
which may affect the adhesion to the
road or visibility, for example, and the
amount of traffic in each section. The
technology can also identify the type of
vehicle in which it is travelling, adjusting
its reports accordingly.
The system obtains the information in
real time and establishes the safest

speed for the next section of the road
contemplating and calculating the
conditions reported, the stopping
distance and the lateral acceleration of
the vehicle as objective criteria. To the
user, the mobile indicates the level of
deceleration necessary. For the
definition of the interface, the analysis
of the impact on the level of attention
required to receive the information of
the system is carried out. Although
there are no plans to release the system
any time soon, the prototype has been
tested in a vehicle, with different drivers,
analyzing their response to warnings
and their degree of satisfaction and
compliance with the limits set.

ClassifiedsPlus

www.costablancapeople.com 13th-19th March 2018

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Pickle and Lily are 3 year old Yorkie cross
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passed away. They weigh approx 5 kilos, are
chipped, vaccinated and sterilised and are good
with other dogs and cats. www.petsinspain.com

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www.costablancapeople.com 13th-19th March 2018
PAINTING & DECORATING

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PROPERTY FOR SALE

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from as little as
€4.20 per week
Tel: 966 725 968

POOL MAINTENANCE

Max is around 8 months old and was found
abandoned outside a friend’s house last week, apart
from being a little underweight is in excellent
health. He weighs around 6 kilos, is good with other
dogs and cats and is very playful and happy boy.

PROPERTY WANTED

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Alex is one of 5 puppies who came into
our care from an original litter of 8 after being left
in a crate outside someone’s house.
The person who found them kept one themselves
and their friends kept another 2.

Brandy, be 2 years old this Summer. As a tiny
kitten, he was taken from someone who had tied his
litter into a bag to be thrown into a canal. He has
grown into a very soft, gentle natured boy, who has
a lot of love to give to the right owner. To meet
Brandy, please call 630 422 563 or 616 210 850.

Frank is a magnificent boy, very affectionate and
gentle, just loves everybody. He is fully vaccinated,
vet checked and would make a wonderful companion
for someone. call 600 845 420.

Crystal is a small, very friendly cat who
deserves a loving home after being thrown out
when she needed help the most.
She never causes any trouble in the Cattery
and would be a lovely companion cat

Faith, a 2 year old beautiful lab cross, medium sized,
is very gentle and affectionate although can be a
little nervous at first but will quickly overcome this.
Fully vaccinated and vet checked. Faith was very
much loved by her previous owners but sadly they
were no longer able to care for her. Call 600 845 420.

Tammy is a medium sized adult female. She is very
clever and obedient and loves to walk on a lead. Very
friendly and sociable, she loves other dogs and would be
perfect as a second dog for a family looking for a friend.

Sasha, now at the kennels for 4 years, is a loving
dog who has a great personality, is very popular
with the dog walkers, who love to take her for a
walk. Sasha is 9.5 years old, fully vaccinated,
microchipped and sterilised.

Tess, an 8 year old, terrier cross is a very gentle, loving
girl, is fully vaccinated, microchipped and sterilised. As
Tess has been used to be in a loving home, we are
hoping she will soon be adopted. Please contact the
kennels on 966 710 047.

68

ClassifiedsPlus

BUILDERS
G.F.R. Builders
30 years experience, with 13 years
in Spain. All general building work
and Property Maintenance undertaken
Gazebos, Pergolas and car ports
made to your specification
All works guaranteed. Competitive
prices. Ring now for free no obligation
quotation. Tel 653 262 489, Whatsapp
or email: gfrbuild@gmail.com (LR)

EMPLOYMENT
The Village Inn, Catral are looking for a cook.
Please apply by sending your CV to thevillageinncatral@outlook.com. (727)

GARDENING
Eazy Lawns - the artificial grass experts.
Eight year guarantee. Many different
effects for all surfaces and budgets.
Full garden design & construction.
Fully legal and registered company
covering all of the Costa Blanca.
Tel 634 705 085 636 102 509
or email info@eazylawns.es
or www.eazylawns.es (C)

HOME IMPROVEMENTS
The Original METAL MAN!
All your metal and iron works
made to your specification
Specialising in Motorised Gates,
Staircases, Roller Shutters, Gates
and Railings.
Best prices on the Costa Blanca!
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Tel 653 262 489/whatsapp or email:
metalguy1958@gmail.com (L)
Need a home improvements specialist?
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(730)

Ruby's Golf
'Girls Rule OK'
Our trophy game this month took us to
Vistabella where the newly opened holes
proved to be a bit of a no' no' for our male
members as the ladies ruled the day, (see
results) Despite play being a bit slow the
course played well and the greens were
great as usual, but a bit tricky. The
weather was a bit chilly when we teed off
as we had an early start, but it did get
progressively warmer as the day
continued, as did the ladies with most of
the results going their way.
Nearest the pins on the par 3's were
Theresa Wright, Glenys Thomas, Michelle
Evans and Dave Shelton. with best front
nine was Helen Bailey (23) best back
Michelle Evans (19) Silver division winner
Glenys Thomas (37) and gold and overall
winner was 'yes it's a male' husband Mike
Thomas with a massive 43 points and a
large handicap cut, well done Mike. The

two's pot was won by new member Bill
Peters. Back at Rayz bar where we enjoyed
a nice buffet the football card was won by
yes another woman, Theresa Wright.
Our next game is at Bonalba on the
16th of March, where hopefully our male
members will step up a gear. If anyone
would like to join us for this or any other
game
please
contact
us
at
rubysgolf@yahoo.co.uk

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
The Original METAL MAN!
All your metal and iron works
made to your specification
Specialising in Motorised Gates,
Staircases, Roller Shutters,
Gates and Railings
Best prices on the Costa Blanca!
Call for no obligation quotation
Tel 653 262 489/whatsapp
or email: metalguy1958@gmail.com
(L)
Eazy Lawns
the artificial grass experts
Eight year guarantee
Many different effects for all surfaces
and budgets
Full garden design & construction
Fully legal and registered company
covering all of the Costa Blanca
Tel 634 705 085 6361 025 09
or email info@eazylawns.es
or www.eazylawns.es
(C)

Lo Crispin Golf Society
On a cold, but dry morning 31 members
'teed up' to contest the Society's first
'major', the Claret Jug. Alicante is always a
challenge and today proved no
exception, which was reflected in the
scores! Although the course is always
challenging, the greens and fairways are
usually in good condition. Today however
a number of players commented that
some of the areas around the greens were
a little 'scruffy' and threadbare. As it was
our first 'Major' of the year we did not go
straight back to the Lo Crispin Tavern as
usual, but many of us gathered there in
the evening, where the prize
presentations were followed by a meal,
prepared by the always friendly and
accommodating staff.
Due to the fact of it being the first
'Major' of the season we did not award
separate Gold and Silver division prizes.

www.costablancapeople.com

Cutts with 25 pts off 19 (on count back),
followed by another of our Belgian
members Dicky Claeys, who also happens
to the Treasurer, also with 25 pts. off 9.
NTP's on Par 3's
Hole 3 - Steve Harrington
Hole 6 - nobody managed to reach the
green or stay on it.
Hole 12 - Alan Hunt
Hole 17 - John Henderson.
The 2's pot was shared by Alan Hunt
and Mike Cutts. The Free Game Raffle
winner was Harry Wilcock.
Our next main game is a 'Yellowball'
Challenge at Font Del Llop on 21st March
and the next Interim Game is at Vistabella
on 14th March. Anyone interested in
joining the Society or would like to play
as a guest should contact any Committee
member whose details can be found on
the Society's website.
Steve Harrington

Anúnciate
– Tlf:
966 701 060 –
966 725 968

linda@costablancapeople.com

Servicio
de traducción
gratuito

Las Ramblas
Social Society
On Monday we all played off the Red
Tees, not as easy as one would think.
However the winner Nigel Price with 44
pts thought different! 2nd was Bryan Neal
39 pts. and 3rd Marleen Billen 38 pts.
Wednesday it was the 4th round of the
Eclectic Joker Competition with some
good scores coming in. The results were
as follows:
1st Terry Cullen 40 pts. 2nd on a count
back John Conway 40 pts. 3rd Heinz Lei
38 pts. 4th on a count back Peter Radcliffe
38 pts. 5th Geoff Biggerstaff 37 pts. 6th on
a count back Rod Doel 37 pts.
2´s Club only one today, John Collins.
Friday was a lovely sunny morning like
we are used to! We played a Texas
Scramble and the winning team with a
score of 59.6 were Lindsay Forbes, Peter
Reffell, Hendrick Oldenziel and Albert.
Mike Mahony

www.costablancapeople.com

Sports

CostaBlancaPeople 13th-19th March 2018

69

San Miguel Golf Society

Busters Golf Society

Bright sunshine and a stiff breeze greeted
the 27 members and 3 guests who
moseyed on down to Hacienda Del
Alamo for a Bogeys Medal game. The
smaller than usual band of golfing
brothers was probably due to the course
being the second longest in Spain and
the medal format which many golfers
disdain.
Scoring was a tad unimpressive, best
exemplified by Ivan Hanak’s 4 over par 76
stealing the show. While some members
blamed the extraordinarily firm fairways
and the recently spiked greens for the
high scoring, others chose to invent
different excuses.
The day’s results, by category and in

Our March spring stableford competition
took us to Alicante golf course I have to
say the staff at Alicante keep it in excellent
condition, this is a course which Buster's
golf society along with many other
societies enjoy taking on with its unusual
set up of six par threes six par fours and
six par fives, unfortunately it will be some
time before we play there again due to
the new increased price structure.
For this game eighteen members and
two guests turned up to play here under
superb weather conditions, I would like to
take this opportunity to welcome new
members Helen Ashman and Jef De
Marie-Bonte to our gang of merry men
and I’m sure they will enjoy the
camaraderie that our society offers, on to
our winners our NTPs were taken by Tim
Goldsmith on the third hole Ian Allison
won the sixth and twelfth holes with Rob
Ashman winning the seventeenth they all
received sleeves of Srixon golf balls, our
twos pot for today had been rolled over
from our last game and was taken by
Stewart Lee, in third place beating Ian
Allison on count back by having a better
back nine was Jim Stevenson with thirty
points he received a bottle of vintage
Rioja our second place was taken by the
ever consistent Phil Pettican with thirtytwo points winning bottles of red and
white wine and our winner on the day
with thirty-three points was Barry Grinsell,
who took home a bottle of Smirnoff
Vodka well done all winners, our soccer
card was won by George Holmes who
amongst his other selections picked
Newcastle.
Our presentation was as usual held at
the Mini Golf bar close to Quesada’s
arches where we returned to be greeted
by the ever pleasant staff along with

Pettersson won the par 3 open all. Sadly,
Bronze and silver awards were casualties
of the chaos.
Best guest was Trevor Wignall with 84.
Winner of the Abacus was Brian Butler
who last week was the winner of the
bronze category. Had his strokes been
cricket runs, his score would have had
MCC members cheering from the rafters.
Our thanks to the staff at Hacienda Del
Alamo for their contribution to the day.
Keep up to date with all SMGS matters by
logging on to our website www.smgs.org
or simply give Tony Smale a call on
628227687 to find out more about the
society and its weekly golf get-togethers.
Next week we will be at Alicante.

sausage chips and bread with butter
which was washed down with some of
the landlords excellent well-priced beers.
Busters Golf Society is a small friendly
group of likeminded people who play on
the first Friday of the month , depending
on the time of the year we generally have
between sixteen and twenty four players,
over the five years since we first formed
the society some of our original members
have moved on, either returned to their
country of origin or have ventured to
pastures new, so we are looking for a few
more members to swell our ranks, if you
are interested in joining our society ( its
free) then please email me Barry Grinsell
at
bustersgolfsociety@hotmail.com
quoting your phone number and current
handicap and I will get back to you within
a couple of days.
Barry Grinsell.

Your Week in Sport
■ CHRIS DARWEN
chris@costablancapeople.com

Unless England suddenly discover
the kind of rugby that Eddie Jones is
probably paid a vast amount of money
a year to deliver, they might finish 5th in
this season’s 6 Nations. Yes, that’s right.
Only Italy would be worse than England.
A feeble defeat to France spelled the
end of the title defence and Jones
lamented his team’s inability to change
to the current demands of international
rugby. This blaming the players thing
really seems to be catching on across
multiple sports now. Anyway, Ireland
are the 6 Nations Champions of 2018
beating Scotland with ease and will take
a shot at the Grand Slam next weekend
at Twickenham.

closer than the gentlemen managed
and the side can still win the title with a
win in Coventry on Friday night. I can
only assume the match has been
switched to Coventry as a punishment
for losing.
England have taken a bit of
cricketing stick in their winter tour, but
Jonny Bairstow’s 58-ball ton led England
to victory in the decisive ODI
international against New Zealand.

Hurdle which is also on Tuesday. Friday
is where it is at however, and my insider
insists that if it keeps raining in and
around Cheltenham that Definitly Red is
worth a look. If it stops raining, and this
sounds very witchcraftlike, get behind
Killultagh Vic. Or, better still save your
money and don’t follow anything I tip,
ever.
Team Sky didn’t come out that DCMS
report too well, did they? Chris Froome
has a big question mark over his head,
the most knighted set of sideburns in
history has seen his legacy tarnished by

Bad rugby seems to be spreading, as
England’s Womens team also saw
France ruin their dreams of a second
successive Grand Slam. 18-19 was far

Johnny Bairstow

Bairstow, who has been on the wrong
side of attention this winter himself, also
hit 100 days earlier and has been the
focal point of the series victory.
I’ve been asked to pull some names
out of a hat for Cheltenham week.
Pulling names out of a hat is about as
cultured as my tipping is ever going to
get, so here we go. I’m told that Buveur
D’Air has plenty of, er, “form” on heavy
ground so could be a good punt in
Tuesday’s Champion’s Hurdle. Maybe
take a look at Apple’s Jade in the Mares’

association. As for Sir David Brailsford,
the man who “sought to change the
image of cycling” after the Lance
Armstrong fiasco? Well, not only has he
pretty much failed to do that, all this
scandal happened on his watch so he
should probably go quietly.
Those of you only tuning in today for
a Roger Federer update, sorry to
disappoint.

ABBEY ANGLING

RODS & REELS

This week’s 10th and final round of the
Abbey Angling Cup was cancelled on
the Embalsa de Pedrera due to the
recent rains and fished on the El
Bosquet Complex on the 6th March.
It was expected that the cold rain of
the last few days would put the fish
down, but Richard King making the
best of a good draw managed to break
into double figures with a healthy
weight of 14.540kgs to take the top
spot. In second place was Dave Hoare
with 9.560kgs and coming in a close
third with 9.400kgs was Dave
Hutchinson.
1st Richard King with 14.540kgs
fishing the pole and feeder using corn
and pellet
2nd Dave Hoare with 9.560kgs
fishing the pole using maggot
3rd Dave Hutchinson with 9.400kgs
fishing the feeder using corn and bread

Our 10th round of the Winter
Championship was fished on the river
Segura at Murcia on the 7th March.
The river was carrying an extra 2
inches approx of water and the
temperature was 10 degrees, the
weights were double from the last
match fished there, but still not making
double figures.
Alan Smith drawn on the end peg
nearest the Crystal Bridge took the top
spot with 9.520kgs, in second place was
Marlene Hutchinson just a kilo short
with 8.260kgs and taking the third spot
was Neil McBirnie with 7.960kgs.
1st Alan Smith with 9.520kgs fishing
the feeder and pole using bread and
corn
2nd Marlene Hutchinson with
8.260kgs fishing the feeder using corn
3rd Neil McBirnie with 7.960kgs
fishing the feeder with corn and pellet

The overall winners of the Abbey
Angling Cup
Best 8 from 10 matches
FIRST
Ian Brown with 72 points
SECOND Hoare with 65 points
THIRD
Neil McBirnie with 60
points
There are still some vacancies
available for membership at the club
All details are available on our new
website abbeyangling.es or from me on
965328368 gling.es or from me on
965328368

There are still some vacancies at the
Club and if anyone is interested in
joining please contact Bill Reade on
966790416

Football guarantees many, many
things. Joe Hart conceding goals, Jose
Mourinho throwing on Marouane
Fellaini to carefully navigate the bus to
it’s optimal parking position, Liverpool
defending like we expect Liverpool to
defend when the pressure is actually
on and Alan Pardew to lose yet another
match as “manager” of West Bromwich
Albion. We shall start where the
weekend action itself began, Old
Trafford.
With Paul Pogba “injured” Jose was
spared the not-so-difficult decision of
dropping his current Kevin de Bruyne
and was able to pick a team he felt
might actually do what was asked
when Liverpool had the ball. And guess
what, United won. Liverpool truly are
only ever one long pass away from a
defensive tragedy and that is exactly
what we witnessed at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford, the only Mancunian
on the pitch, scored his first brace since
he burst on to the scene a couple of
years ago and gave Liverpool’s Trent
Alexander-Arnold such a hard time the
youngster felt the need to apologise on
social media after the game. Yet, the
game ended in the manner most
people felt it would begin with United
sitting so deep they were practically in
the stand with their fans. Eric Bailly did
his best to ignore team orders, scoring
the kind of back flick goal that
Mohamed Salah would be proud of.
Other than that, Bailly spent most of
the match just checking Salah was still

tucked away in his pocket. Considering
Liverpool have their Champions
League work done and could have
made 2nd place their very own and
United have their banana-skin of a tie
to come with Sevilla on Tuesday night,
this has to go down as a missed
opportunity for Kloppo’s side.
Tottenham showed questionable
“mentality” throwing away a good
position against Juventus during the
week and when Bournemouth went 10 up you had to wonder whether Spurs
were wearing their Spursy hats once
more. Tottenham had not won a match
after going behind this season and
when Harry Kane hobbled off after
half-an-hour the game only looked like
going one way. How wrong we all were
as Son and Alli led Pochettino’s men to
a 4-1 win on the South Coast. It was
almost as if throwing away a
Champions League Quarter Final place
never happened.
Per Mertesacker would rather sit in
the stands than play for Arsenal again,
and who can blame him in normal
circumstances? Yet, a week is a very
long time at Arsenal. Since Petr Cech
gifted Brighton a win last weekend,
Arsenal have gone to Milan and won
and finally kept a Premier League clean
sheet. Cech has been waiting for what
feels like an eternity to get his 200th
Premier League shutout and he
managed it in their 3-0 win over
Watford. As for Troy Deeney? You need
a certain something to take penalties
in the big games, mate. Still, all those
Arsenal fans out there who were about
to call it a day a week ago can relax
now, as the very same people are

absolutely convinced their team is
“back”. Guys, it was Watford in the
second half of the season. Don’t get too
excited.
Did you hear the one about the West
Ham United pitch invasion? They set off
at 15:20 and didn’t get to the touchline
until half-past. All joking aside, you
can’t help but feel the antics of some
West Ham fans didn’t really help their
already hapless side, who went on to
lose 3-0 at home to Burnley. David
Sullivan was hit with a coin thrown by
one of the club’s ‘supporters’ and if he
had not been wearing glasses he could
have been injured. His co-owner David
Gold was visibly upset by the scenes,
recovering to quip that “at least the
cleaners will get a nice surprise” when
it came to the amount of coins thrown
in their direction. Probably the most
concerning thing was the response
from the police, moving even slower
than Andy Carroll on a good day to sort
the situation out. Mark Noble was
having to go around and put in tackles
that have been missing from his game
for a while now and even Burnley’s
Ashley Barnes resorted to the ultimate
in “a striker’s tackle” taking down one
offender. Apparently, the Hammers
players are worried that all the stadium
stuff will damage their survival bid. Oh
no, chaps. Your inherently poor football
will do that on their own. All these
goings on distracted everyone from
the two main talking points at the
Athletics Stadium. Firstly, Joe Hart is still
a really, really bad goalkeeper (as his
error for the third nicely highlighted)
and any plans Gareth Southgate has to
take him to Russia must be ended
immediately. Might I suggest an

‘Escape to Victory’ type arm-breaking
incident? Secondly, what about that
goal from Ashley Barnes? Had
someone remotely fashionable scored
it would have ended Twitter.
Last week Swansea City played like
“11 brothers” but this weekend it had
to be 10 as Jordan Ayew was sent off
after 11 minutes against Huddersfield
Town. Both teams battled hard but
were unable to trouble the scoreboard
operatives. The point each keeps both
sides four points clear of the three
relegation places.
OK, scrap that last statement. There
are only two relegation places left.
We’ve known West Bromwich Albion
are gone, we are just waiting for the
maths to catch up. Yet, incredibly
Pardew still has a job at the time of
writing. Alan isn’t a man “to down
tools” yet results suggest otherwise.
Leicester City trailed and then came
back to win 4-1 at the Hawthorns, the
pick of the goals being the equaliser
from Jamie Vardy. Latching on to a
pin-point long pass from Riyad
Mahrez, Vardy let the ball come over
his shoulder before volleying it into
the corner. I don’t know exactly how
you should do it Gareth, but you have
to find a way for Vardy and Kane to
lead the way in Russia. Pardew has a
meeting on Monday morning, and I
think it’s safe to say it is it not to
negotiate a pay rise.
If Chelsea get a lead against
Barcelona on Wednesday night, they
might want to hold on to it better
than they did against Crystal Palace

on Saturday. Palace might still be
wondering what was actually wrong
with the late disallowed goal,
considering Gary Cahill threw himself
at Riedewald. And the problem is
Palace then scored a goal that was
given, meaning they were probably
denied a point. That point would have
them out of the drop zone and
replaced by Southampton who,
frankly, deserve to be in there far
more.
Mauricio Pellegrino admitted that
his side had “given up” after the first
goal in their 3-0 defeat against
Newcastle. Considering that first goal
came in the first minute, such an
admission should probably be top of
the list of reasons given when
Pellegrino eventually loses his job.
Kenedy came to England touted as
the next Neymar/Coutinho/Willian
and had spent most of his time at
Chelsea looking like the next Lucas
Leiva. However, his performance
against the Saints might just give
everyone in Geordieland hope that
they can stay up.
Sam Allardyce, he who claims
Rooney and Sigurdsson cannot win in
the same team, also said Cenk Tosun
was struggling to adapt to life in
England. Funnily enough, since
allowing him some game time Tosun
seems perfectly adjusted to what he
is paid to do - score goals. Everton
beat a surprisingly poor Brighton &
Hove Albion and according to Big
Sham, “class told” which is not
something Allarfarce knows a great
deal about.

Glorious
Vistabella

EUROGOLF MONTHLY MEDAL
AND BIRTHDAY CUP

On this beautifully warm spring day the
TPGS ventured over to the newly
renovated Vistabella which now has 18
holes. The new holes proved to be a
challenge for most of us particularly when
you where being fed duff information
(thank you Mr Temple!) The greens where
slicker than most, but the fairways
needed a bit of a watering. The 2’s pot was
won by the in form dodgy Declan
Crowley, Callum Hitcham and John Aird.
Callum also won three NTP'S, Dickie
McAllen and big Ron Temple picking up
the other two. Ian Parkinson came last
with a woeful 20 pts. Linda Ottway was by

On Thursday 8th March Eurogolf played
their monthly medal off the plates.
Although it was raining for the early
starters and some people decided not
to play it turned out warm and sunny
and some amazing scores were
amassed. The handicap secretary had a
field day cutting the winners by at least
4 shots! The top 4 scores were 1st Bob
Adkins 62 2nd Norman Woods 67 3rd
Glo Manning 69 4th Clive Horne 71 Cat
1 1st Glen Roberts 73 c/b 2nd Pete
Cleaver 73 Cat 2 1st John Fairhurst 72

far the best lady with 31 pts. In the Silver
division Barry "shouting man" Mitchell
came 3rd with 34 pts Richie Maher 2nd
with 35 but the winner was the popular
Bill O'Gillies. The Gold division was won by
young Callum Hitcham with an
impressive 36pts of his 5 hcap, 2nd place
was dodgy Dec with 35 pts and 3rd place
was Tony McSmale with 34 pts.
Our next outing is on the 23rd match
at La Torre. Please book your spot online
at www.theplazagolfsociety.com
Finally on a sad note our condolences
go out to the family of our friend and
resident DJ snoopy R.I.P fella.

The CostaBlancaPeople
Culinary Awards
Costa Blanca restaurants are once more in line
to receive a prized accolade which celebrates
all that is good about the dining scene in Spain.
The 2018 Costa Blanca People Culinary Awards
recognize excellence in the local dining industry,
offering restaurateurs a standard to strive for and
diners a gauge by which to choose their eatery.
Fresh ingredients, imaginative recipes and
mouth watering menus from around the world are
available to diners in the Costa Blanca region.
We are spoiled for choice when it comes to lunch
menus, evening meals and even a quick and tasty
snack. With so much on offer, it can be a minefield
choosing a restaurant or café that suits your needs.
The Costa Blanca People Culinary Awards are a mark
of excellence which diners can rely upon to guide
them to a quality restaurant.
Managing Director of the Costa Blanca People,
Claire Richards, said “Last year’s Costa Blanca People
Culinary Awards were a runaway success with
hundreds of nominations received for restaurants
and chefs up and down the Costa Blanca.
The atmosphere the awards ceremony created
was electric – people were cheering and clapping
and up on their feet for our winners, the attitude was
positive and uplifting and everyone had a good
night.
Now in their ninth year, the Costa Blanca People
Culinary Awards are a hot topic within the industry
and 2018’s Awards will serve as a great platform for
bar and restaurant suppliers and servicers to
promote themselves directly to restaurant owners

in a friendly and upbeat environment.”
Claire continued, “We feel that having such a
benchmark will really help consumers in choosing
excellent restaurants. For restaurateurs, the winning
of a Culinary Award will boost morale for staff and
owners and will offer restaurants a tangible ‘seal of
approval’ which they can strive to win again and
again as the years go on.”
The 2018 Costa Blanca People Culinary Awards are
broken into a number of categories:
Best Newcomer (open less than 12 months)
Best Indian Restaurant
Best European/International Restaurant
Best Cafe/Bar/Pub Food
Best Sunday Roast
Best Fast Food Outlet
Best Menu del Dia/Noche
Best Fine Dining
Best Chef
Front of House Award for Outstanding Service
Once nominations have been processed and the
finalists chosen, a panel of judges will begin
reviewing each restaurant in secret before a grand
gala dinner where the winners will be announced.
If you think your favourite restaurant should be in
the running too, then get nominating!
It couldn’t be easier – simply log on to
www.costablancapeople.com and fill in the online
form or download a printable version of the form to
distribute to your clients and encourage them to
nominate you.
If you do not have internet access, we are
delighted to take nominations by phone on 966
701 060.